ST. CLAIRSVILLE — The city of St. Clairsville, St. Clairsville Schools and the St. Clairsville Junior Sports Association are teaming up to restore an existing baseball and softball field.

The field is located at 48901 North Market Street.

St. Clairsville Recreation Director Eric Gay said that he plans for the facility to be completed by the end of March before baseball and softball season begins.

Belmont Savings Bank is the main sponsor of the project.

Gay said that he used to play on the same ballfield about 30 years ago.

“The thing that’s really cool about this project though, is it’s three different organizations together,” Gay said.

Gay said that the project will include new infield fencing, new dugouts and drainage around the field.

“It’s something that we desperately need because of how many boys and girls we have in our programs. St. Clairsville Schools will be using this, the St. Clairsville Recreation Department will be using this and the Junior Sports Organization, so we’re just thrilled that we could all come together to build this new field that was desperately needed,” Gay said.

Gay said that he estimates over 450 children from the three organizations use the ballfields.

“We have so many kids, which is awesome, but we just don’t have the room all of the time,” he said.

Gay said that the project is estimated to cost $130,000. He said that much of the funding for the project came through the Fields for Kids program through the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Superintendent Walter Skaggs said that St. Clairsville Schools will use the facility for high school softball games.

“We’re thankful to be working with the city, the rec department and Belmont Savings Bank,” Skaggs said.

He said that he hopes students take pride in the new field.

“When your facilities are state of the art, you’re obviously proud of that,” Skaggs said.

Justin Clifford, athletic director at St. Clairsville Middle School and High School and Junior Sports representative, said that he is excited for the ballfield to be back in use both for Junior Sports and for the high school softball team.

Alicia Jordan, marketing director at Belmont Savings Bank, said that the bank was “thrilled” to sponsor the project.

“The biggest goal for us is to give back to the communities that support us. Without the community, we couldn’t do what we do,” Jordan said.

Jordan said that Belmont Savings Bank has previously donated funds for the upper baseball field.

“Over the past five years, we donated a large sponsorship to that field and created a good partnership, so when the school and the city told us about this softball field, it was kind of like a no-brainer,” she said.

Mayor Kathryn Thalman also showed her support for the project.

“Sports, baseball and softball are very dear to my heart. I am so tickled to see this project coming to fruition with the generosity of Belmont Savings Bank in the partnership. We are going to see a very nicely upgraded baseball and softball field and I want to be there to help you out with the first ceremonial pitch,” Thalman said.

Gay said that in a future phase of the project, he hopes to install bleachers and a scoreboard.