Drainage Issues Putting Damper On New Salem Baseball Field

SALEM, MA — The recently renovated Gallows Hill baseball park has too often been stuck in the mud this spring because of stormwater drainage issues.

Salem officials said the city has contracted with an independent civil engineer to review the design and construction of the field to identify the problem with a portion of the drainage system and to then recommend solutions.

"The city recognizes that the current condition of the Gallows Hill baseball field is a disruption and inconvenience to field users and is committed to resolving the matter expeditiously," the city said through its Building Salem initiative.

The field was renovated recently as part of the long-planned reconstruction of the Ryan Brennan Memorial Skate Park. The renovations also included improved walking paths and trees.

But stormwater has often left the baseball field soggy and the city said it is "working to determine the cause of this failure so that it can be corrected."

The city said the issue is not related to the elevated arsenic levels at adjacent Mansell Field, which the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection is working with the city to remediate.

It is believed the arsenic levels could be related to a tannery that was nearby the site early in the previous century.

The skate park and parking lot remain open while drainage issues and elevated arsenic levels are addressed.

Those with concerns can contact Tom Devine at the Department of Planning & Community Development at tedevine@salem.com or 978-619-5685.

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(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)

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