Ball field shines with diamond dust delivery

A front-end loader from Heavener Property Service of Saugatuck deposits diamond dust aggregate from the parking lot at Laketown Township Hall, 4338 Beeline Road, to the ball diamond on Friday, Aug. 9, 2024.

How do you move 110 yards of diamond dust from the Laketown Township Hall parking lot, 4338 Beeline Road, to the nearby ball field?

Heavener Property Service of Saugatuck makes it look easy with a full crew, front-end loader, Bobcat and the old-fashioned wheelbarrow and rakes on Friday, Aug. 9, 2024.

The aggregate was delivered by Dykgraaf Excavating of Holland on Wednesday.

A crew from Heavener Property Service of Saugatuck begins moving piles of diamond dust aggregate from the parking lot at Laketown Township Hall, 4338 Beeline Road, to the ball diamond on Friday, Aug. 9, 2024.

Heavener crews used the front-end loader to deposit the material onto the field where the tracked Bobcat and shovels took over to spread 3 inches over the infield.

The ball field work was requested by the Laketown Township Parks and Recreation Commission. It’s part of multiple work projects at township parks.

The Old Township Hall, 6280 142^nd Ave., is being caulked and repainted. On July 23, Windwood Property Services LLC, spread engineered wood fiber (EWF), a type of mulch, at the playground at Wolters Woods Park, 6281 147^th Ave.

The parking lots at Wolters Woods Park and Sanctuary Woods Park, 4750 66^th St., will be closed Aug. 20 and Aug. 21 for resealing and striping.

The commission is also looking at issues at the Laketown Beach Park, 6710 142^nd Ave. Two committees were set up in March to investigate parking, stairs, overall access and beach ecology.