Slow fix at J.J. Walker putting squeeze play on the G.V.L.L.

Photo by Lincoln Anderson
At J.J. Walker Field “the mound” might as well refer to this pile of gravel where third base should be.

If you build it they will come — but just don’t take forever to finish the job!

Frustration has set in at the Greenwich Village Little League over the Parks Department’s slow replacement of the artificial turf at J.J. Walker Field, at Clarkson and Hudson Sts.

The renovations of the key playing field started 10 months ago, when it was taken out of commission for athletic use. But no one ever thought it would take almost a year to lay down the new surface.

According to John Economou, G.V.L.L. president, the latest update from Parks is that the field will finally be completed sometime around the middle of this month. Not having use of the field is playing havoc with the league’s programs.

“The unavailability of J.J. has of course impacted our spring season and now is apparently also going to affect our summerball program,” Economou said.

Unfortunately, the field wasn’t ready for the Little League of America Tournament either, which started June 24.

“Moreover, not being able to play at J.J. has impacted and continues to impact G.V.L.L.’s sense of community,” the league president said, “in that, besides not being able to play ball, our players across all of our divisions and parents and neighbors have been unable to stop by to watch a game, sit in the bleachers and catch up with each other.

“G.V.L.L. appreciates the efforts of the Parks Department to renovate the field. However, there is a growing level of frustration as each day passes.

“We are hopeful that Parks will push forward as quickly as they can, so that we are able at least play some of our summerball season at the newly renovated field,” Economou said. “However, this looks unlikely as it appears that not much work has been going on at the field for the past several weeks.”