CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — As part of a larger plan to develop new sports venues and refurbish old ones in Chesterfield County, work is underway for a six-field softball complex at Harry G. Daniel Park at Ironbridge.

A spokesperson for Chesterfield County’s Department of Parks and Recreation said the department recently reclaimed operation of Daniel Park’s softball fields — located at 6600 Whitepine Rd. in North Chesterfield — which had been leased to a private operator for more than a decade.

This comes after the county said River City Sportsplex generated about $36 million in the local economy

The department said it has allotted close to $1 million in its budget for 2024 for enhancements, including: regrading the fields for drainage and surface consistency, installing new material for the infield, new irrigation, new sod and new outfield fencing.

Work is currently under way and the fields are scheduled to reopen in early June of 2024, according to Chesterfield County.

At its meeting last Wednesday, the Board of Supervisors approved the use of $4.1 million in “surplus transient lodging tax revenue” to fund the project.

With those improvements, though, county officials said a more extensive renovation is necessary for Daniel Park’s softball complex to become a “competitive sports tourism venue.”

Plans for the six-field softball complex at Harry G. Daniel Park at Ironbridge in Chesterfield County (Courtesy of Chesterfield County)

In addition, the Department of Parks and Recreation has listed the following improvements to be made at Daniel Park:

  • Replacing the existing bathroom with a new facility that is connected to public sewer and designed around visitor and player requirements for fastpitch softball tournaments, to include dressing areas for umpires
  • Replacing all outfield fencing and utilizing temporary fencing for field setup flexibility 
  • Installing new backstops and dugouts and improved spectator seating
  • Creating a championship field with covered spectator seating and an enclosed press box for high-profile games, tournaments and events
  • Providing shade and other aesthetic amenities in the site’s existing common areas 
  • Repaving and striping the parking lot