Boynton Beach shows off its $2.2 million all-synthetic turf Little League field

Boynton Beach now has its own field of dreams.

The city unveiled its $2.2 million all-turf baseball field Saturday built by Athletic Angels, a nonprofit that provides sports facilities for underprivileged youth. The field at the Boynton Beach Little League complex off Woolbright Road and Boynton Beach Boulevard marks the first time it has built a baseball field.

This is all about giving needy youth an opportunity to play sports, said Mike Barwis, a spokesman for the Deerfield Beach-based nonprofit.

“I want to thank Athletic Angels for supporting youth sports and investing in Boynton Beach,” City Manager Dan Dugger said. “I can’t wait to see how happy the kids are to practice and play on this beautiful field.”

Athletic Angels has a 30-year sports-provider agreement with the city of Boynton Beach. More than 70 travel players, ranging in age from 10-18, are expected to participate in its programs. Barwis said his organization will control scheduling but will work with the city to accommodate requests to use the field.

Barwis said plans for the new field began about two years ago. The bright green turf is about as bright green as possible and the brown sliding pits and infield are also synthetic, rather than the traditional dirt paths. The height of the pitching mound can be adjusted based on the age of the players. Rycon Construction oversaw the project.

"It is more expensive to build an artificial turf field but there are a lot of pluses," he said. "You can play on it 10 minutes after it rains. And that happens a lot in South Florida."

Following a ribbon-cutting ceremony, Team Barwis played the first-ever game on the field against Palm Beach Gardens-based South Florida Thunder. Team Barwis won the game 6-3.

Before the game, players took part in a speed and agility clinic. About 20 to 30 people attended the ceremony.

The field comes on the heels of a $4 million renovation of the Ezell Hester Jr. Athletic Field in July. That project was partly funded through a $250,000 grant for athletic field refurbishments from the Miami Dolphins and the NFL.

Mike Diamond is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post , part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. He covers Palm Beach County government. You can reach him at mdiamond@pbpost.com . Help support local journalism. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Boynton Beach shows off its $2.2 million all-synthetic turf Little League field