Making bad hops at Seton Park a thing of the past

On a balmy Wednesday afternoon, a smattering of softball players, parks department officials, community leaders and local politicos gathered to mark the beginning of a new age for the beleaguered ball fields at Seton Park.

A ragtag fleet of construction vehicles dotted the landscape behind the podium as workers at the far end of the field went about reconstructing the space. With Astroturf crunching underfoot, each speaker ascended to the podium to share their enthusiasm about the changes coming to the park, which is funded by Councilman Andrew Cohen and a state grant.

At the end, 11 people donned orange hard hats and gripped shovels next to what appeared to be a prepared mound of dirt with a construction vehicle serving as a fitting backdrop. Twice they tossed the dirt before filtering out of the park.