County, State Help Little Leaguers Raise $1.7M for New Turf Fields in Redmond

After nearly 10 years of laying the groundwork, Redmond North Little League officially broke ground on renovations at Redmond Ridge Park.

Under bright sunshine on Oct. 4, more than 200 Little Leaguers and their families kicked off the construction phase of the league’s Renovate the Ridge campaign, which has raised $1.7 million to replace the park’s dirt fields with all-weather synthetic turf playing surfaces.

King County Council member Kathy Lambert and King County Parks director Kevin Brown presented a check for $700,000 from the county’s Community Partnerships and Grants (CPG) program, while State Sen. Andy Hill and Bill Chapman, chairman of the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Funding Board, presented a check for $700,000 from the state.

“A project of this magnitude, where it involves improving a community asset, requires a partnership with government,” said JD Klein, president, Redmond North Little League. “We are fortunate to have leaders at the county and state who recognize the value of what we want to accomplish. Kathy Lambert is a former Little League mom. Andy Hill led a similar development project for our local soccer league. King County Parks wants to see these fields being used by the community. They all responded when we asked for help.”

The ceremony featured the dedication of Jackson Roos Memorial Field and the unveiling of a plaque to commemorate Jackson. It reads:

In memory of Jackson Roos, a friend to everyone. He is remembered for his kindness, loyalty, and courage in life and on the field. He exuded great sportsmanship and a love for baseball. He made it count!

Jackson, 12, was a Redmond North Little Leaguer who died from injuries sustained in an accident at his home on Sept. 26, 2012. He is survived by his parents, Dr. Bryan and Julie Roos; his brother, Sam; and twin sisters Sally and Jane.

Construction is expected to begin later this month and finish by Spring 2014. The league will install a turf infield for the baseball diamond and a multi-sport turf surface for the large field.

Redmond Ridge Park is the official home field for Redmond North Little League. Because there is only one baseball diamond, and it is often unplayable in wet weather, the league must rely on facilities outside the neighborhood to host games and practices. This project will allow Redmond North Little League families to use their neighborhood park all year round.