Grand Opening Ceremony at Salt Lake Park Highlights Donation

HUNTINGTON PARK, CA, Sept. 14, 2011 – In October 2010 the City of Huntington Park was awarded a grant in the amount of $57,386 from the Baseball Tomorrow Fund (BTF).  The grant supported the Salt Lake Park ball fields improvement project and provided funding for a batting cage.

The BTF grant allowed the city to construct a two-lane batting cage that includes two professional-level pitching machines.  The project will directly benefit the local community by providing one of the only batting cage facilities in the area.  The batting cage, which features one hitting lane for baseball and one for softball, will give children in the city’s youth baseball and softball leagues a new resource to help with their development.  The facility also will be made available to the public.

“The completion of this project marks the realization of a dream for this organization and the community as a whole,” says Josette Espinosa, director of parks and recreation for the city.  “Through the support of the Baseball Tomorrow Fund, this new batting cage will give our local youth players greater opportunities to develop as athletes and, ultimately, as people.”

 “The Baseball Tomorrow Fund appreciates Huntington Park’s dedication to this project and, more importantly, to the children which it serves,” added Cathy Bradley, Executive Director of the Baseball Tomorrow Fund.  “We are proud to have supported the growth of youth baseball and softball in this community.”

To celebrate the completion of the project, the City of Huntington Park will hold a grand opening ceremony at the Salt Lake Park baseball fields (3401 E. Florence Ave. in Huntington Park) on Thursday, Sept. 15, 2011, at 4 p.m.  Former MLB player Jay Johnstone and Kenny Landreaux will participate in the festivities, along with the Huntington Park City Council, city officials, and players and coaches from the city’s youth baseball and softball leagues.