Julio Carballo Fields

NYC PARKS CELEBRATES UPGRADES AT JULIO CARBALLO FIELDS IN THE BRONX

$1.9 million project added new lighting and scoreboards to popular community baseball fields

On June 17, NYC Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue was joined by State Senator Jose M. Serrano, State Assemblymember Amanda Septimo, Council Member Rafael Salamanca Jr., and community members to celebrate the completion of upgrades at Julio Carballo Fields in Hunts Point.

“We’re pleased to unveil the latest upgrades to Julio Carballo Fields, an important site for recreation in the Hunts Point neighborhood,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue. “New sports lighting will ensure the fields can be used for expanded hours, and the new community-requested scoreboards will enhance the baseball games played there. Community input is essential to all our Parks capital projects, and we’re proud to add improvements that local residents suggested to make these fields a high-quality recreational space.”

“Maintaining our green spaces is an important investment in our children’s futures, and in the future of our communities,” said Council Member Rafael Salamanca, Jr. “I’m thankful to the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation, former Mayor Bill de Blasio, current Mayor Eric Adams, and the Hunts Point Recreation Center for collaborating with me to renovate the Julio Carballo Fields, and for investing in the Bronx to bring new field lights and scoreboards to the baseball field so that our youth can enjoy outdoor sports and activities even after the sun has gone down.”

"The maintenance and upkeep of our cherished parks are crucial to the health and well-being of the communities we represent. The upgrades made at the Julio Carballo fields will provide the Hunts Point community with enhanced recreational opportunities and continue to honor the legacy of Julio Carballo,” said State Senator José M. Serrano. “The new lighting and scoreboards installed will allow for more efficient games and extended playing hours. Many thanks to New York City Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue, the New York City Council, Mayor Eric Adams, and my colleagues in government for their work on this issue."

"The upgrades to Julio Carballo Fields will have enormous benefits to the Hunts Point community,” said State Assemblymember Kenny Burgos. “Just as the school year comes to a close, our children will now have an improved and safe place to participate in little league or other fun activities. I cannot thank NYC Parks enough for their generosity and commitment to the Bronx."

Parks recently completed a $1.9 million capital project to install new sports lighting at the existing baseball fields and add two new scoreboards.

The project was funded by the Mayor’s Office and City Council. Work began in May 2022 and was completed in May 2023.

The latest upgrades are the first for the ballfields since 2006, when Parks unveiled $2 million in renovations that completely reconstructed the existing fields, including adding new clay infields and planting a new grass outfield. The project also added a new basketball court and enhanced the park with new amenities such as picnic tables, benches, drinking fountains, a play equipment, and a spray shower.

The ballfields honor Julio Carballo, a Bronx resident and community leader who founded the Carballo Youth Baseball League in 1994. Carballo mentored children in the neighborhood and his baseball league regularly played games at the field. Formerly known as Manida Ballfields, the site was renamed in 1997 to honor Carballo, who passed away in 1996.