San Bernardino's Blair Park was buzzing with excitement as three new state-of-the-art baseball fields, dubbed Dodger Dreamfields, were unveiled this past Saturday. According to a statement obtained by the City of San Bernardino's official website, the project is a community home run made possible through a collaboration with the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation, San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, and other key partners.
The ceremony played host to a sea of enthusiastic little leaguers, along with local bigwigs like Dodgers third base coach Dino Ebel and Mayor Helen Tran. "I had chills driving up to the park this morning like my first day in the big leagues," said Ebel, the Inland Empire native who basked driving up in remembrance of his first major league day, according to the city's release. Dreaming big was the theme, as he implored young attendees to hold tightly to their aspirations.
San Bernardino Council Member Ben Reynoso couldn't help but pause and take in the sight of the freshly installed scoreboard, fondly recalling, "I love this park so much," he confessed, as overheard by municipal correspondents. "I probably spent too much time here as a kid." His nostalgia-laden remarks underscored the transformative power that comes when communities prioritize youth sports and recreation.
Blair Park received a hefty $1.7 million face-lift for the three revamped baseball and softball fields, making them the 61st, 62nd, and 63rd projects completed by the Dodgers Foundation since its 2003 inception. The upgrade includes much more than a spit shine; new grass and dirt playing surfaces, enclosed fields, and LEDs that rival the bright lights of Dodger Stadium adorn the park. "The youth in San Bernardino deserve great fields to play on and that is happening because of this partnership," Mayor Helen Tran told attendees, emphasizing how youth deserve the right to play in the best conditions.
The broader implications of the Dodgers Foundation’s ongoing work in Southern California are hard to ignore. Nearly $20 million has been plunged into the program with sights set on marking the Dodgers’ 75th Los Angeles anniversary in 2033 by building 75 Dreamfields. Generous sponsors aside from San Manuel include civic-minded organizations such as the LA84 Foundation and the Helen and Will Webster Foundation, all betting on the future of kids and the communities they live in.
