New Softball Field In Nutley Will Feed Growth Of Popular Local Pastime

NUTLEY, NJ — A new athletic field will help to expand a growing pastime in Nutley: youth softball.

A ribbon cutting ceremony was held this week for the Glotzbach Park girls softball field on Grant Avenue. The new field will host daytime and night games.

The Nutley Parks and Recreation Department offered more details about the latest addition to the town’s sports landscape in a news release:

“The Glotzbach Park girls softball field will host approximately 30 travel games, 15 high school games, and seven college doubleheaders. Thanks to the upgraded lighting, three to four practices will be held every night, significantly increasing access for players. The extensive upgrades also include collegiate-level locker rooms, a coaches' office with meeting space, a press box with a modern sound system, game streaming capabilities, renovated bathrooms, new bleachers, new player benches and upgrades to the dugouts and fieldhouse.”

Nutley Commissioner Mauro Tucci said the town’s softball program has seen incredible growth over the years.

“Today, we proudly support over 255 girls playing recreation softball along with 30 high school players,” Tucci said. “This level of participation shows just how important this program is to our community and how much it continues to grow to support that growth.”

According to Tucci, the town has made a major investment in its facilities through a $1.2 million grant from the state of New Jersey’s Green Acres Program, which funded both the field project and new LED lighting.

The project was made possible with the help of partners including Keystone Sports Construction, Musco Sports Lighting, and engineer Nave Newell, Tucci said. He also credited the town’s superintendent of recreation, Frank DeMaio, and recreation general supervisor Anthony Gagliardo along with the municipal parks department.

Tucci was joined by several other Nutley town officials, board of education members and municipal staff members at the ribbon cutting.

FUTURE PLANS

This week’s announcement doesn’t stop with softball, Tucci added.

“Beyond games and practices, the field is becoming a true community hub,” he said. “We're planning to host Little League games, night games, and even provide access for additional teams, including a 9U girls team.”

“Looking ahead, we will continue to improve the area with new walkways, additional new stairs, additional bleachers, and a playground for some of our special needs children as well as our non-special needs children,” the commissioner added.

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