Rockwood Park opened in 1975 near the intersection of Courthouse and Hull Street roads, ideally located to serve a growing population. As Chesterfield prepares to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its oldest and most frequently visited park this summer, the 171-acre property is receiving some much-needed facility enhancements.
Work has begun on a comprehensive renovation of Rockwood Park’s seven diamond fields — converting them to hybrids with turf infields and grass outfields, along with replacement of all fencing and backstops.
The main benefit of a turf infield is improved drainage and quicker drying times during rain events, which translates into fewer cancellations and more games played throughout the season. It also provides a more consistent playing surface regardless of weather or heavy use.
“The hybrid model gives us the best of both worlds in maximizing usage for our residents and reducing maintenance time, which is both a staffing and operating cost,” said Neil Luther, director of Chesterfield’s Department of Parks and Recreation. “It still gives you that natural grass surface in the outfield, but you don’t have to deal with a dirt infield when it rains and isn’t playable.”
While the Rockwood Park fields will continue to receive most of their use by county residents during seasonal league play, diamond sports are an integral part of Chesterfield’s sports tourism program. As such, the county also plans to host weekend baseball and softball tournaments there.
Thanks to the success of The Diamonds at Iron Bridge, a six-field complex at Harry G. Daniel Park that opened last June, Chesterfield is quickly becoming a sought-after destination for diamond sports tournament operators.
That fills a void in the county’s sports tourism calendar. River City Sportsplex primarily hosts soccer, lacrosse and field hockey tournaments on its 16 lighted rectangular fields, but when activity typically slows down at that facility during the summer months, Chesterfield can invigorate the local economy with additional visitor spending by bringing in baseball and softball teams to Rockwood Park and other county complexes.
“It’s purposeful on our part to diversify our sports tourism model with diamond sports,” added J.C. Poma, director of the county’s Sports, Visitation and Entertainment (SVE) Department. “We’re growing in this space because of our strong, resident-based leagues and associations, and being able to monetize the fields on open weekends through tournaments.”
