Capital Hill baseball field vandalized

The yet-to-be-opened Little League baseball field on Capital Hill fell prey to vandals last week and contractor Maeda Pacific Corp. is appealing to those who perpetrated the misdeed not to do it again.

Maeda’s Cleto Samonte said the company’s staff discovered the vandalism Friday morning. The incident could have happened Thursday night, he added.

Samonte said that Maeda staff found at least two cases of empty beer cans scattered all over the ground. “It looked as if the culprits had a [drinking] binge Thursday night,” he said.

What concerns them most is that the culprits removed some of the scaffolding that, until now, holds the newly cemented roofing on one of the concrete bleachers.

“The concrete roof slab was poured last Tuesday, Oct. 17. Shoring jacks were installed to support the forms of the structures. Supports such as the shoring jack should be removed on the 28th day after pouring to meet the curing requirement. The people who had a drinking spree on site took out five pieces of the shoring jack to have a space,” said Samonte.

The culprits “also brought the working table inside the structure, threw empty beer cans all over the place, the smell of urine was noticeable, and betel nut stains [were] also noticeable on the floor. When we visited the site at 8am [Friday] the workers were already putting back the shoring jacks and have collected the beer cans in the trash bag,” said Samonte.

Maeda Pacific Corp. is the prime contractor of this project, which will be completed on Dec. 24, 2006.

Samonte said the vandalized area of the project is part of Phase III of the baseball field’s construction. The construction for the Phase III started in September this year and will cost the government $143,600.

“We are just concerned about the community’s safety, “ Samonte said.

Yesterday, Maeda staff went back to the site to continue construction work. Maeda continued putting up the poles for the lighting of the facility.

“We ask for the community’s cooperation not to smear and touch anything in the area,” Samonte said.

The project was initially handled by the Department of Public Works. Phase I of the project included land clearing, construction of a chain link fence, and planting of Bermuda grass. This work, which required over $200,000, was awarded by DPW to Maeda.

Samonte added that Phase I and II of the project have already been completed. Phase II included the construction of two dugouts, scoring booth, toilet and walkway, and parking area, while Phase III includes lighting, covered bleachers, and stage.

Former congressman Frank Aldan initially pushed the baseball project during the 13th Legislature, but it did not see completion for lack of funds and limited time. In 2004, Rep. Justo Quitugua authored two bills appropriating a total of $240,000 for the Phase I construction.

When it opens, the new field will relieve the congestion at the current home of the Junior, Senior, and Big League teams that share the Francisco M. Palacios Baseball Field in Oleai, along with the Saipan Major League. Teams will also be able to have access to more facilities for practice, and teams from the northern end of Saipan will not have to travel as far to participate in the national pastime.