“The stadium just makes you want to play ball,” said Todd Stebbing, president of the Glen Allen Youth Athletic Association (GAYAA).
But alas, the stadium on 3400 Mountain Road was designed and built for those a little younger. The new venue, which officially opened on March 2, is part of the youth sports complex that Henrico County started in 1995 with the construction of four baseball fields. RF&P Park added three softball diamonds and a football field in 1998. A practice football field was built in 1999. Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad donated the 50 acres of land in the early 1990s. RF&P Park, owned by the County of Henrico, is operated and maintained by the Henrico Division of Recreation and Parks.
The new $4.6 million stadium was partly the vision of Dick Glover, Brookland District’s representative on the Henrico County Board of Supervisors. Glover wanted to build a jewel for the county’s youth, a work of art, a field of dreams if you will. He also wanted to incorporate the rich history of the RF&P Railroad, which had been blowing its whistles in Henrico County since 1834.
The vision came into focus after the county approved a $3 million bond referendum in 2005 to build the stadium. The remaining costs were covered by amendments passed by the Board of Supervisors.
HKS Architects, headquartered in Dallas with a local office in Richmond, designed the facility. HKS also designed the blueprints for the new Dallas Cowboys stadium set to open in 2009. Richmond-based R.J. Smith Companies served as general contractors.
“Glen Allen youth sports has a rich history,” Glover says. “I believe this stadium will continue that tradition.”
Hermitage and Atlee high schools played the first official game at RF&P on March 14. However, the stadium will open its gates to the country Aug. 17-24 when it hosts the Babe Ruth World Series for 14-year-old boys.
Eight regional winners, the Virginia state champion and a host team from GAYAA will compete. The regions range from New England to the Pacific Northwest.
Babe Ruth League, Inc., presently has around 886,500 baseball and softball players on 45,200 teams in more than 7,315 leagues worldwide.
“I was there to see the stadium under construction, but since then, I’ve only seen it in photos,” says Robert Faherty, vice president and baseball commissioner of the Babe Ruth League, Inc. “I’m sure the photos don’t do it justice. But from what I’ve seen, it’s truly amazing.
“We’ll have players, coaches, friends and family fly or drive to Henrico County from all over America,” Faherty adds. “I’m sure many will be tired when they arrive. But I wish I could be a fly on the wall. I bet when those kids see the beautiful new stadium, some jaws will drop, and they won’t be tired anymore.”
