Farmington Scout's Labor Of Love To Help Local Baseball

FARMINGTON, CT — A local Eagle Scout project will allow for the storage of baseball equipment at a middle school baseball field and improve baseball operations there.

The Farmington Plan and Zoning Commission unanimously approved a site plan application from local scout Luke McCormick for the construction of an 8-foot-by-10-foot storage shed at Irving A. Robbins Middle School, 20 Wolf Pit Road, Farmington.

Last week, McCormick presented his Eagle Scout project to construct a baseball equipment shed to the town's PZC.

A baseball player who is now a freshman at Farmington High School, McCormick said there have been problems in the past at the field.

He said a lack of maintenance equipment at the site has, in the past, led to the field being unplayable and games, even, being postponed.

He said the shed would include all sorts of equipment such as rakes, chalk line machines, tarps, other landscaping tools, and baseball field maintenance tools.

McCormick said the shed and tools would aid both the middle school, Farmington Little League and, for the next couple of years, Farmington High School.

The baseball field at FHS is being shuttered as construction continues on the new Farmington High building, with FHS games moving to the middle school for a couple of years, at least.

"Personally, I played at IAR for the past couple of years and I will be continuing to play there this year and, possibly, next year too as the field at the high school is taken away because of the construction," McCormick said.

"It will keep the field in better shape for Farmington Little League and the high school," McCormick said of his project.

The shed, whose funding has already been secured via donations, is proposed to be located behind the home plate backstop fence of the baseball diamond.

Responding to PZC member questions, McCormick said the color of the shed will be dark green, a contractor will supervise construction of the shed with assembly by McCormick and fellow scouts.

The shed, he said, will be installed on a stone base and it will be locked.

Zoning board members had high praise for McCormick and his project.

"Well Luke, you've done a good job," Acting Farmington PZC Chairperson Liz Sanford said. 'It's a wonderful cause and I'm really glad you've been able to find a project that is near and dear to your heart."

For the minutes of the March 25 Farmington Plan and Zoning Commission meeting, click on this link.