Miracle Field Wins National Project of the Year Award

At the recent Board of Mayor and Alderman meeting, the American Public Works Association (APWA) Board of Directors members presented the national “Project of the Year” award to the City of Kingsport for the Miracle Field project.

The national “Project of the Year” award recognizes a project that emphasizes outstanding planning, construction and management. Kingsport’s success with the Miracle Field Complex is an excellent example of how a public works department can operate as a team to produce high-end results. This is only the second time that the Tennessee Chapter’s project nominee has been selected as a national “Project of the Year” with the other project being the Metro Nashville Flood Recovery Project in 2011.

“In many ways, this project turned out to be such a breath of fresh air,” said Deputy Public Works Director Ryan McReynolds. “I’m very proud of how the design and construction of this field, which serves Kingsport’s citizens differently than a standard baseball field, came together through various city organizations, such as Barge Design Solutions, GRC Construction and Visit Kingsport, along with the support of the community.”

This recognition speaks directly to the merit of the project and the heart of the Kingsport community to provide sporting opportunities for all children within the region. The need for a Miracle Field was championed by Visit Kingsport Executive Director Jud Teague, who remained the driving force behind the project from beginning to end.

The Miracle Field Complex features a rubberized baseball field, along with an adaptive playground, pavilion and concessions. It was built to accommodate special needs children, wounded warriors and others. The support for the project was overwhelming and shows how generous the Kingsport community is. Making baseball accessible to all is a great way to bring people together, from those playing on the field, to the parents and volunteers supporting them. This field was a highly successful project that will benefit the community for years to come.

For more information about the Miracle Field or any other Kingsport parks, please visit https://www.kingsportparksandrecreation.org/.