WEST HARTFORD, CT — As the only athletic facility at the school without a modern, electronic scoreboard, Hall High School's softball field was lacking something prominent at the school's baseball facility.
Earlier this month, the West Hartford Plan & Zoning Commission said "yes" to a special permit that will allow Hall, located at 975 N. Main St., to build a new, state-of-the-art scoreboard at the varsity girls softball field on site.
The commission Aug. 8 voted 5-0 to approve the plan, with the project expected to be completed well in time for the spring sport's first game.
"The school and community desire the installation of the scoreboard to improve the varsity softball facility as it is the only varsity field at the school that does not have an electronic scoreboard and as a step in creating equal baseball and softball facilities at the school," wrote West Hartford Public Schools Plant and Facilities Services Director Robert Palmer to the PZC.
According to Palmer, funding for the scoreboard was achieved through fundraisers conducted by student athletes, parents and other girls softballs supporters.
The scoreboard will be just past the left-field fence and adjacent to a nearby sidewalk, Palmer said.
Palmer pointed out the scoreboard would not only benefit high school softball games, but also town recreational department games.
"It is an important improvement for the property and a true asset to the students, faculty, neighborhood and the larger community," he wrote.
Local police, health and engineering services officials reviewed the plans and said the scoreboard project would not negatively impact that area of town.
Local resident Jeremy Kempner said he probably lives closest to the field, but he wrote a letter of support for the project.
"It will be a meaningful improvement for the softball teams that use the fields and will have no impact to me or my family," Kempner wrote to the PZC.
To view the plans for the scoreboard project, click on this link.
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