Work to Begin on Banner Field at Latrobe Park

Work will begin on Monday, April 14th on Banner Field, a new turf recreation facility on the lower field at Latrobe Park in Locust Point. First announced in November 2013, the facility named after the Star Spangled Banner will include an artificial turf field, which will be installed by The Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation, as well as a sound system, scoreboard, a running track around the field, lights and seating to accommodate about 150 people. The field will be lined for football, soccer and lacrosse and will feature a Banner Field logo and Under Armour logos. Additional parking spaces will also be created near the facility which could total up to 50 spots.

Funding for the $1.5 million project will be donated by Locust Point-based Under Armour and the project will take about four months to complete. “We want to invest back in our community, and we need to get kids active and back into sports,” said Stacey Ullrich, Director of Corporate Giving & Community Affairs at Under Armour.

Baltimore City is also planning improvements to the adjacent Hill House, which will hold the bathrooms for the new facility. The Locust Point Civic Association (LPCA) also recently partnered with Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks to refurbish the benches at Latrobe Park.

Banner Field will be the home of the South Baltimore Youth Soccer League, the Locust Point Soccer Club, and the  Digital Harbor Rams football and soccer teams. Digital Harbor varsity football will play four home games at Banner Field on Fridays this fall, with three of the start times at 3:45 pm and potentially a homecoming game at 5 pm. The JV football team will play four home games as well, with the start times all at 3:45 pm on Thursdays.

Maintenance and scheduling at Banner Field will be handled by Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks, and Digital Harbor will provide security and cleanup for their games.

Under Armour will also be making improvements to the playground at Latrobe Park which include a new toddler area and rubberized floor, as well as the addition of  large sail-like features to provide shade. These improvements will take about six to nine weeks to complete.

In the past year, Under Armour has added two new Locust Point signs, provided funding for renovated bathrooms at the Locust Point Recreation Center, and helped with streetscaping and landscaping improvements throughout the community and at Latrobe Park. Under Armour has also been involved in field and recreation area improvements at Dunbar High School and Patterson Park in the past 12 months.

About the Author: Kevin Lynch

Founder and Publisher of SouthBmore.com, longtime resident of South Baltimore, and a graduate of Towson University. Diehard Ravens and O's fan, father of three, amateur pizza chef, skateboarder, and "bar food" foodie. Email me at Kevin@InceptMM.com and follow me on Twitter at @SoBoKevin.