Thursday, September 23, 2010
Publication: Bucks County Courier Times
BY MANASEE WAGH
The fields will be specially designed for athletes with disabilities.
The Miracle League of Northampton can expect to break ground on new fields as soon as the final details are put in place for an agreement with the township, Northampton supervisors said at Wednesday's meeting.
Supervisors commended the league for its fundraising and planning efforts and agreed unanimously to allow the organization for special needs athletes to proceed with plans for a baseball field and an adjacent multipurpose sports field in Northampton Municipal Park.
Only a few tweaks are left to be ironed out before the agreement with the league can culminate in groundbreaking, said supervisors.
Athletes with disabilities will be able to navigate the field's special, rubberized surface easily, said Joseph Hand, the league's president. Traditional grass-and-dirt fields can be difficult for players with walkers or those in wheelchairs to get around.
The league has raised about $700,000 for the project. No funds for the fields' development will come from taxpayers, according to the league's agreement with the township.
"We're very excited about this," he said. "It's been a two-year process. A lot of generous residents and corporations have given money. It's amazing how many different people have come together to make this happen. This complex will be unique. No other Miracle League field has a multipurpose space."
About 200 Miracle Leagues nationwide have fields in various stages of construction, Hand said.
Among the uses for the multipurpose field are soccer and football.
The great thing about it is that children with disabilities will be able to play alongside other kids in the park, said league vice President Debbi Katz. The complex will create a space for all area athletes with disabilities, she said.
Supervisors recognized two local girls, Morgan Fitzpatrick, 11, and Katie Kotsopoulos, 13, for raising $93 for the league by making and selling bracelets.
Joe Ierubino, president of the Northampton Baseball League for 13 years, congratulated the two.
"The Miracle League program has been dear to my heart for a long time. I have a grandson with autism that benefits from it. It gives kids with special needs the opportunity to do something they wouldn't ordinarily do," he said.