The Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that aims to build character and teach critical life lessons to disadvantaged young people living in America’s most distressed communities through baseball and softball themed programs. In 2008, the Foundation announced that it would be partnering with the City of Fredericksburg to build a complex for disadvantaged youth in the region. After several years of planning and fundraising, the Sunshine Ballpark project broke ground in 2011.

During the week of August 23 through 27, 2011 the Fredericksburg area experienced both a 5.8 magnitude earthquake and Hurricane Irene. The impacts on the area were significant. Among those properties affected was the Sunshine Ballpark that was only partially completed. The events of that four day period resulted in major erosion on the property, downstream impacts to the Rappahannock River and damage to the on-site storm water facilities. The City did not have the technical resources to fully comprehend what had happened on the site and were being told by the site’s General Contractor that the City was responsible for repairing the damage. The City was told that the cost to complete the work would be an additional $120,000.

Welford Engineering staff functioned as an extension of City staff and reviewed the technical analysis performed by the Engineer of Record, analyzed the actions performed on the site by the Contractor that contributed to the damage experienced, and helped to develop and review action plans to address the problems that had been encountered. By working closely with City staff, including the Public Works Department, Parks, Recreation & Public Facilities Department and the Attorneys office, our team was able to assist the City with developing a plan to move the project toward completion with the City only agreeing to participate in the cost of the remedial actions at a level of approximately $16,000.

By moving forward with the action plan developed by the entire project team, the project was able to be opened for play in March, 2012.