Citizens Energy Group announced today that it intends to donate more than 25 acres of land valued at nearly $1 million to Play Ball Indiana for the development of the Citizens Field of Dreams, a multi-use community sports complex. Carey Lykins, President & CEO of Citizens Energy Group, made the announcement at Play Ball Indiana’s Annual Sandlot Lunch. Play Ball Indiana is a non-profit organization that promotes youth baseball and softball in affiliation with Major League Baseball’s Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) program.
The land will be donated by Citizens Resources, a wholly-owned Citizens subsidiary, pending a formal agreement with Play Ball Indiana. The land is located along Pleasant Run Parkway north of Citizens’ former coke manufacturing plant. Play Ball Indiana plans to develop the community sports complex over the next three years at a cost of more than $6 million.
Exact details of the sports complex are still being finalized, but it is expected to include baseball, softball and football fields, a jogging/walking trail, a children’s playground, a concessions stand, indoor sports training facilities, offices for Play Ball Indiana and community meeting spaces. The complex also will include a promenade dedicated to Oscar Charleston, a Negro Leagues star player and manager who is the only Indianapolis resident to have been inducted into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame.
“We are thrilled to make this land donation to Play Ball Indiana and are honored they have decided to name the community sports complex Citizens Field of Dreams. We believe Citizens Field of Dreams will be a wonderful green space that people of all ages can enjoy. We see this new community sports complex as the foundation for long-term revitalization of this area of the southeast side,” said Lykins.
Mike Lennox, Executive Director of Play Ball Indiana, adds “Play Ball Indiana is extremely grateful to Citizens Energy Group for its generous donation of land. Citizens Field of Dreams will enable us to provide a safe place for Indianapolis youth to participate in healthy athletic competition and develop a passion for the history and tradition of America’s pastime. We envision a state-of-the-art “sandlot” that will serve the surrounding neighborhoods and become a central hub for our summer RBI league. We also envision that the facility will be used for year-round clinics and by community organizations and schools. With this donation, Play Ball Indiana will be empowered to provide life-changing alternatives for Indianapolis’ inner-city youth.”
About Citizens Energy Group
Citizens Energy Group is a Public Charitable Trust providing safe and reliable energy services to more than 266,000 customers in and around Marion County. The Public Charitable Trust means the utility is managed only for the benefit of customers and the community. Additional information is available online at www.CitizensEnergyGroup.com.
About Play Ball Indiana
Play Ball Indiana is a non-profit organization whose mission is to build good character, foster responsible behavior, encourage development of baseball and softball skills, encourage the enjoyment of healthy competition and teamwork, and build the values of honesty, fairness, integrity, inclusion and commitment to excellence. More information about Play Ball Indiana is available online at: www.playballindiana.org
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