Douglas Recreation Commission unanimously approves Soldiers' Field baseball diamond renovation, with construction targeted for August.
DOUGLAS -- The Recreation Commission voted unanimously June 29 to approve a field improvement project at Soldiers' Field, with the Douglas Youth Baseball and Softball League funding the work on the small baseball diamond closest to the street.
**TOWN**
At its reorganization meeting, the commission elected Ryan Hogan as chairman and Hannah Stevens as vice chair. The body then turned to the headline item of the evening: a full infield rehabilitation of Soldiers' Field's smaller diamond.
Under the approved plan, contractors will strip and remove existing sod from the infield square, rebuild the pitcher's mound and home plate area, add new base paths, and lay Kentucky bluegrass sod in the outfield transition zone. A 10-foot grass oval will be restored behind home plate. The infield surface will use a premium native infield mix from Reed Custom Soils, with stone dust installed in front of the dugout areas. Irrigation heads will be capped and reused where possible.
Three contractors have provided quotes and all have August availability; the commission estimated the project would take roughly one week. Commission members noted that the fall season on the small diamond will likely be relocated to an alternate site during the restoration period. The next steps include notifying the Board of Selectmen and consulting the conservation agent given the site's proximity to a river.
DYBS is covering the full cost of the project.
**YOUTH LEAGUES**
The Douglas Youth Baseball and Softball League opened its 2026 spring season with four baseball teams — a Majors squad sponsored by Nasons Machinery, two Minors teams sponsored by Gaudette Insurance and Projected to Perform, and a Coach Pitch team sponsored by VIP — alongside five softball teams at the U6, U8, U10, and U12 levels, sponsored by local businesses and public safety departments including the Douglas Police Department and Douglas Fire Department.