DATE: Thursday, October 2, 1997             TAG: 9709300118

SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS         PAGE: 08   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY JAY LIDINGTON, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   63 lines

NEW PLAYING FIELD FIRST CLASS E. OCEAN VIEW KIDS WILL HAVE A NEW PLACE TO PLAY NEXT SPRING.

Pieces of steel reinforcing bars and broken glass will soon be replaced by chalk lines and the sounds of cheerleaders and fans at a new sports field at the East Ocean View Recreation Center.

Slowly but surely, the graded dirt of the former school building site near Pretty Lake also is giving way to a new growth of grass. By next spring and possibly sooner, organizers said it could be ready to be used by the center's youth baseball and football teams.

When it's ready, the new field will give the area's young athletes another place to play games. Previously, the field had been used only for practices because of its ragged condition while games were played at Tarrallton Park or Lakewood parks.

For that reason, the field should prove to be a hit, said Aaron Marshall, president of the East Ocean View Civic League.

``I think it's something they will be proud of more than a sandlot, which is what it was,'' said Marshall, who called the field's former condition an ``embarrassment.

``It will give them a sense of living in a community that will provide activities for them.''

Ricky Brown, a former East Ocean View resident and coach of one of the midget football teams that will play their games there, said the field sends a clear message to area youth - they have the opportunity to play sports rather than hang out on the streets and they can do so on a first-class field.

``Maybe they'll be attracted to a nicer field,'' Brown said. ``I hope people see how the community is working to better the place where the kids come to play.''

For two years, community and city officials have labored over what to do with the field, located beside the recreation center on 20th Bay. The site formerly was the home of East Ocean View Elementary School, which was demolished in 1982.

The site was never completely cleared of debris and was rock hard and studded with chunks of steel reinforcing bar and pieces of broken glass. As a result, the field was used only sparingly, said Bernard Davis, director of the recreation center.

When concerns began to surface about preserving greenspace in East Ocean View and giving residents more places to enjoy the outdoors, developer Armada-Hoffler joined with the city recreation department to prepare the field.

Most of that work is done. The ground has been flattened, debris removed and grass seed planted. All that remains is the months-long task of growing an adequate grass root system to withstand the pounding of multiple team sports, officials said.

``We knew that this was coming down the road,'' Davis said. ``That's the big key. We're just excited we have nice, playable field that the kids could use.''

``It means a great deal to the kids,'' Brown said. ``They need something for their minds to do. It teaches them respected and gives them something to carry with them.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by JAY LIDINGTON

Bernard Davis, director of the East Ocean View recreation center,

points to the site of the new playing field on 20th Bay. The ground

has been flattened, debris removed and grass seed planted.

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