We need to keep the dream alive at The Ballpark in Old Orchard Beach

The Ballpark in Old Orchard Beach is our local field of dreams.

The first dream was in the 1980s, when Bangor attorney Jordan Kobritz brought his vision of AAA baseball to Old Orchard Beach. A 50-acre wooded plot was purchased from the town, and The Ballpark and Maine Guides were born.

AAA baseball only lasted five seasons in Old Orchard Beach – from 1984 to 1989- but during the time, the team, and the facility with the straightforward name, received national attention.

A July 1984 write-up in Sports Illustrated by Steve Wulf waxed poetic about the quaint seaside community where white pines gave way to The Ballpark in the middle of the woods.

“It's just a mile from the Atlantic Ocean, and it may be the prettiest ballpark in creation,” wrote Wulf.

The dream died and led to a nightmare – the town, which had undersigned the loan for The Ballpark, was now left with the bill – meaning it was paying a second time for the land.

The Ballpark was reimagined and in the late 1980s through the late 1990s it was a concert venue, bringing national acts to the little coastal town. A range of performers – from Phish and the Jerry Garcia Band to New Kids and the Block and Whitney Houston, hit the stage. People today still talk about the concerts they saw at The Ballpark with a bit of wistful nostalgia, but many will also say that concerts like those, which echoed throughout the densely populated neighborhoods and brought more vehicles to streets already clogged with summer traffic, could never happen again.

The property lay dormant and in 2005, residents voted to consider the sale of The Ballpark after a masterplan was developed, and in 2006, community visioning workshops were held.

I recall in 2007 or 2008, snowshoeing on the property with my now-husband. The once manicured ballfield was wild with brush, and the place had the feel of one of those abandoned places you see in urban exploration videos. In fact, Ballpark Digest listed The Ballpark on its endangered list.

However, a new dream gave rise to a grassroots effort to revitalize The Ballpark. When residents voted at a 2008 referendum that the town should keep The Ballpark, a volunteer effort went full-force. Through countless volunteer hours and in-kind and monetary donations, The Ballpark was refurbished, and in 2009, Ballpark Digest took it off its endangered list.

Build it and they will come 

I remember in 2010 when a national college baseball tournament was held at The Ballpark. There was excitement in the air, and volunteers giddily showed off the facility they had worked so hard on and with open arms welcomed players from around the country. The phrase “build it and they will come,” was heard more than once that week.

The Ballpark was home to collegiate and independent baseball teams from 2011 to 2018. While The Ballpark to this day has a full lineup of league games and the field remains busy, the facility has not been able to attract another team that wants to make it their home base. The teams at The Ballpark had some die-hard loyal fans who came to every game, but there were never enough people to come close to filling the stadium.

Over the past decade, The Ballpark has also been used as a venue for food and low-key music festivals, smaller-scale concerts and other family-friendly events. Residents can rent plots at the Community Garden on the far-side of the parking lot, and many people come to The Ballpark to walk their dogs.

In 2020, The Ballpark hit another crossroads. The town contemplated closing the facility down temporarily, but later decided it would remain open under the management of the town recreation department, thus eliminating the facilities manager position.

Every new chapter of The Ballpark brings something new, building on the past momentum. The recreation department now has its offices at The Ballpark, and has introduced many children to the facility through its programming held at the facility. Work has begun on a trail system, and ice skating rink was introduced last winter.

Keep the dream alive 

The Friends of The Ballpark, a non-profit group dedicated to the preservation and restoration of The Ballpark is actively seeking volunteers. There is no minimum time commitment. For more information, email friendsoftheballpark@gmail.com or call 207-432-6968.

The dream for The Ballpark isn’t over. It’s time for us as a community to commit to the facility, and come together to reimagine The Ballpark’s future and use the park to it’s full potential.

While many hoped that “if you build it, they will come,” it wasn’t enough. There needs to be a united vision for the facility, and support for its growth. Let’s work together to make this dream come true.

Publisher Liz Gotthelf can be reached at newsdesk@sacobaynews.com.