Artist rendition of the Essex Memorial Park
Work starts at Memorial Field under the watchful eyes of Marty Flood (left) and Jim McKenna.
The Friends of Memorial Park Improvement Project, Inc. is pleased to announce they will start making improvements to the baseball field on September 1. The first phase will include a new backstop and safety fencing, improved grading and drainage, and brand-new dugouts that will complement the beauty of Town Hall. With more hard work, fundraising, and a little luck, future phases may include grandstand seating and, with help from the newly formed Veterans subcommittee, a new ceremonial patio along with other improvements to the War Memorial area.
The project began as an interest that Martin Flood and his wife Dina had for a renovated park in Essex. Marty started a non-profit to fund the necessary updates. He recruited several Manchester and Essex residents to form the Friends of Memorial Park Improvement Project.
Currently, the field is home to the Mariner’s Men’s Twilight baseball team as well as the Manchester Essex Regional High School boys baseball team along with several private local club teams.
A very big thanks to Brian Kelly and Brian Heney of Kelly Automotive, as well as everyone at BankGloucester for the very generous contributions that propelled the project forward. And thanks to the many people of Essex, including the local DPW, who helped guide the project with their suggestions and nostalgic stories of Memorial Park.
Recently, with help from local Essex mason Scott Whitten, his daughters, and carpenter Greg Marshall, the scoreboard was finished with beautiful stone, white columns, and interchangeable team logos for the ITL Mariners and the High School Hornets.
Unfortunately, the project was unable to hold a fundraiser this year due to the pandemic, so please visit www.memorialparkproject.org if you would like to contribute.
Watch the Cricket for updates as the project progresses.
