CLLL Plans Lights for Good Times Park

Baseball players soon won’t risk being left in the dark at Good Times Park on Fort Evans Road in Leesburg. The Central Loudoun Little League intends to install lights at the park by the end of the summer.

The league is fundraising now to offset some of the cost of the lights, which will allow for games to run later in the evening. If plans stay on track, the lights will make it in time to for the fall months when the sun begins to set earlier.

"We have approval from the Town of Leesburg to install the lights, as well as support from the neighbors next to Good Times Park," said Matt Coughlin, fundraising director for the CLLL.

The $200,000 project calls for a state-of-the-art light system designed to allow the kids to play ball in the dark, yet have minimal impact on neighborhoods, Coughlin said.

The league will finance the portion of the project not covered by the fundraising work. CLLL received ownership of Good Times Park through a donation in the 1980s.

Parents of players built the field, and the league has maintained it and added improvements. Coughlin said the lights are the next step in providing the type of baseball experience that they want to offer the players.

"We are fortunate to have a couple of fields in Leesburg that have lights, but we want to offer it at our own facility as well," he said.

The group has received a lot of support from the community, including Wegmans, Diamond Sports Training, Curry's Auto and Blake Landscaping.

"The donations we receive will help replenish the operating fund and pay off the loan," Coughlin said.

About 1,400 kids participate in the Central Loudoun Little League each year.

For more information or to contribute to their efforts, contact Matt Coughlin at mattcoughlin2003@yahoo.com or 703-431-0182.