NYC Parks to host ballpark cleanups ahead of Little League season

NYC Parks is gearing up for the second annual “Pitch In for Bronx Ballfields” event, where it will host hundreds of volunteers for outdoor cleanup ahead of this year’s Little League season.

As an added incentive, volunteers will receive vouchers for Yankees tickets. Tools and gloves will be provided, and volunteers should wear comfortable clothing and bring a water bottle.

Dates, times and locations are as follows:

Allerton Ballfields — April 5, 10 a.m.–1 p.m.
Castle Hill Little League — April 5, 11 a.m.–1 p.m.
Claremont Park Ballfield — April 5, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
Crotona Ballfield — April 5, 10 a.m.–1 p.m.
Field of Dreams (Pugsley Creek Park) — April 5, 11 a.m.–1 p.m.
Franz Sigel Ballfield — April 5, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
Macombs Dam Park (Elston Gene Howard Field) — April 5, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
Rev. T. Wendell Foster Park — April 5, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
Rienzi Ballfield — April 5, 11 a.m.–1 p.m.
St. Mary’s Park Ballfield — April 5, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
Walter Gladwin — April 12, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.
Bill Rainey Park Ballfield — April 12, 10 a.m.–1 p.m.

“Our volunteer events serve to beautify our shared greenspaces and bring communities closer together, and our latest pitch-in day allows Bronx residents to spruce up our ballfields just in time for spring baseball season,” said NYC Parks Bronx Borough Commissioner Jessenia Aponte in a statement.

“It’s exciting to see Bronx little leaguers, baseball fans, and community members of all ages lending their time to make our fields cleaner. Since launching our Let’s Green NYC campaign in 2023 to engage a record number of volunteers, nearly 850,000 New Yorkers have lent their time to improve our parks.”

The ballpark event is one of several efforts to improve cleanliness in Bronx neighborhoods. The Parks Department recently increased fines for trash dumping in parks from $1,000 to $5,000 for the first offense, and local elected officials plan to fund security cameras in parks to help catch and deter offenders.