GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — In the fall of 2020, Paul Soltysiak and Andy De Vries started a mission: restore the old ball diamond on the west side of Grand Rapids, known to some as Valley Field, and to others as Sullivan Field. It's a ball diamond with so much history— it comes with two names.
Fast forward to the summer of 2023, and the group is one step closer to its goal with $1.05 million from the state budget dedicated to the field's restoration.
“The city has $1.1 million for this, which is part of the tax millage that went through, like seven years ago,” Vice President of Fans of Valley Field Paul Soltysiak said. “If you count the state money, that puts us at about halfway because we need a total of $4 million or so to accomplish what we want."
FOX 17 talked with Soltysiak, who's part of a nonprofit, a group of people who call themselves "Fans of Valley Field." It's an entirely volunteer-run organization aimed at keeping the ball diamond a vibrant space.
The group has grownto have more than 4,500 members.
Officially called Sullivan Field, the ball diamond has a rich history. Around 70 of the people who played amateur ball there ended up playing in the big leagues. Thousands of people flocked to the Grand Rapids stadium in the 1950s to attend games.
Built just a few years before the 1937 opening of the park, the wooden grandstand is still standing. A rarity, according to Soltysiak. The roof, in desperate need of repair, is the only reason the old wooden grandstand hasn't rotted out.
“The necessities are to fix the roof, fix these grandstands, put in handicapped accessible spots in these grandstands,” Soltysiak explained.
With the money coming from the state, as well as the money from the Grand Rapids Parks Millage, the group is halfway to their goal of $4 million for these necessary repairs.
But now, a private capital campaign is underway to do more than just what's necessary.
"The next priority is redoing the infield, redoing the dugouts, having a real stage, refurbishing the grandstands and the concessions, then even having a museum. Those are the extra things,” Soltysiak said.
Sullivan Field hosts more than just baseball games, but also does summer events and concerts, thanks to volunteers from Fans of Valley Field. Since starting restoration efforts, they've added an outdoor stage and gotten a new scoreboard donated by Meijer.
