By Phoebe Muthart
InkFreeNews

SYRACUSE — Opening day festivities are being prepared for the new ball field in Syracuse. The new Harold Schrock Athletic Complex is now complete and children are ready to play ball.

The new ballpark features a football field and two baseball and softball fields. The new complex cost close to $2 million. Beer and Slabaugh, Nappanee, was the general contractor.

The vision started in 2020 when Polywood expanded and needed the property at the former ballpark site, which closed in October 2020. “We looked at three potential sites,” said Chad Jonsson, parks superintendent.

The property on Kern Road was chosen as the new site of Schrock Athletic Complex. It is the former site of Black Walnut Farm.

“It was the easiest to develop and in close proximity to neighborhoods,” Jonsson said of the new 26-acre ballpark.

The complex is named after Harold Schrock, whose family donated funds to help pay for the new ballpark, while other funding came from grants, a bond, the town and private donations. “We will have (donor) plaques that will be mounted by April 29, said Jonsson.

The complex has four fields. One is a football field. In the fall, the field will be used for pee wee football. The others are fields for baseball and softball.

The complex also features a multi-purpose paved walking trail, a basketball court and a playground. It also features two concession stands with restrooms. In the winter, the basketball court will be used as an ice rink, said Jonsson. “We are considering pickleball,” he said.

The new park will also be more handicap accessible with cement walkways instead of gravel. Safety netting is installed to protect spectators. A storage facility is located by the football field. Yellow foul poles have also been installed.

Pitching mounds and the dog walking stations have been installed. The lights are pointed down so as to not interfere with neighboring homes in Kerns Crossing.

Jonsson said, “It will be good to finally have it done and to see the kids play. It’s a nice addition to the town.”

“It’s going to be an exciting day to start our season and see the opening of the new Harold Schrock Athletic Complex after two long years of hard work by the Syracuse Parks Department,” said Jamie Beer, sponsorship and registration coordinator for Wawasee Community Summer League.

Opening Day

The Wawasee Community Summer League will be hosting an opening day parade Saturday, April 29, in Syracuse. Players from the leagues will be wearing their uniforms and representing their baseball and softball teams. They will walk down Kern Road from Syracuse Elementary School to the new Harold Schrock Athletic Complex.

The community is invited to come out and show support to the players as the new 2023 season begins. As the players walk down Kern Road, they will throwing out candy to families lined up on the street. If you plan to park at Schrock Field, come in from the south as Kern Road will be closed north of the facility.

The following are events planned for opening day:

• Noon. Teams begin to line up and prepare for parade at Syracuse Elementary School’s parking lot.

•1 p.m. Parade will begin and head south on Kern Road to Schrock Fields.

• 1:45 p.m. Team introductions.

• 2 p.m. Schrock Fields dedication, presented by Syracuse Parks Department.

• 2:10 p.m. The national anthem performance and raising of the flag by Syracuse American Legion Post No. 223.

• 2:15 p.m. First pitch to be thrown by Kosciusko County Sheriff Jim Smith.

• 3 p.m. Games start.