Oh sure, there was at least one suit and several ties at Thursday's groundbreaking for Mericourt Park.

But the first people to pitch a shovel into the ground, appropriately enough, were a dozen players (their neon jerseys gave 'em away) from the Clarksville National Girls Softball League, which has for years called Mericourt Park homefield.

In addition, renovations also will include a "Pathway of Champions," and a brick walkway paved with inscribed bricks honoring former Clarksville National players, coaches and supporters.

Katelyn Devers, 12, wearing her Slick Sluggers uniform, said she was "very excited."

"So nobody will get hurt," Katelyn said, adding that players are sometimes tripped up by holes in the old fields.

A building committee of parents with children in the softball league was formed in July to draft plans for the new fields, with Jimmy Bagwell leading the charge on design.

Board member Dickey Knight said the idea was born during a T-ball game last year, when parents had to watch from across the street because of no handicap-accessible ramp.

The city will provide new, handicap-accessible sidewalks in and around the park, but the remainder of renovations are being completed with donated funds and labor.

Knight said the improvements will fix one of the largest headaches at Mericourt Park — flooding caused by rain runoff from Pageant Lane and Madison Street.

Knight said Morgan Construction will dig a large injection well allowing rainwater to drain much more freely.

Said Clarksville Mayor Johnny Piper at the groundbreaking, "This was way overdue."

Bricks for the "Pathway of Champions" can be purchased at a cost of $50 each.

For more information on purchasing an honorary brick or how you can help with renovations, visit www.cngsl.org.

Eric Snyder covers city government. He can be reached at 245-0262 or by e-mail at ericsnyder@theleafchronicle.com.

They're already coming, but Mericourt Park will soon be built better.

Dickey Knight, whose 12-year-old daughter Brooke has played softball at the fields for six years, said the idea was borne in the middle of a game.

"During several games last year we had some parents and grandparents who would have to sit in a parking lot across the street to watch the games due to no handicap-accessible ramp," Knight said.

"As parents we wanted to create an atmosphere that everyone could enjoy watching their child play softball."

A building committee of parents with children in the Clarksville National Girls Softball League was formed in July to draft plans to reconstruct two fields at the park, with Jimmy Bagwell leading the charge on design.

Knight said the new fields would be full-size, 200-foot fields with dugouts and also include a new concessions area. The renovations will bring the total number of fields at the park to four.

The parents' effort required careful coordination, as the land is owned by the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System, the fields are maintained by the Clarksville National Girls Softball League and the remainder of the park is maintained by the Clarksville Parks and Recreation Department.

School system officials approved the plan, according to Elise Shelton, CMCSS spokeswoman.

Knight said the city will provide new sidewalks compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act at the park, a fact confirmed by City Communications Director Missy Graham.

Knight said the rest of the renovations are being made possible through private donations and in-kind contributions.

As an example, Knight said one of the new fields will be named for Morgan Construction, as the company will be providing the dirt work at the fields for no cost.

In addition to the two new fields, renovations will also include a "Pathway of Champions," a brick walkway paved with inscribed bricks honoring former Clarksville National players, coaches and supporters.

Bricks can be purchased at a cost of $50 each.

Knight said some trees at the park will be removed to make way for the renovated fields.

However, he said a local nursery would be providing new trees that will line the outfields of both new fields.

For more information on the renovations or on how you can help, visit www.cngsl.org.

Eric Snyder covers city government. He can be reached at 245-0262 or by e-mail at ericsnyder@theleafchronicle.com.