Town of Wayland & Eliza J. Norton Foundation Celebrate Start of Little League and New Dugouts at Cochituate Field

Wayland, MA – On Saturday, May 4, 2024, the Wayland Little League held their annual parade followed by an opening day celebration at Cochituate Field (see event pictures below). In addition to the traditional opening day activities, this year’s event included a meaningful ribbon cutting ceremony to mark the final stages of construction on four (4) new dugouts at the two Cochituate Ball Fields.

The Cochituate Field Improvement Project began 18 months ago when representatives from the Eliza J. Norton Foundation (EJNF) approached the Town of Wayland with an idea of making improvements to Cochituate Field. Since that time, the Town of Wayland and EJNF have been working together on said improvements, starting with the construction of new dugouts.

Town Manager, Michael McCall, stated, “Any project involving improvements to a community asset such as Cochituate Field is significant. However, this project is particularly special given that these much-needed improvements are being done in partnership with the Eliza J. Norton Foundation.  A Foundation dedicated to enriching the lives of children in our community with a focus on improved access to sports, teamwork, and community building.”

EJNF Advisory Council member, Steve Schamberg, added, “This is an important milestone as we continue the work of completing new dugouts at Cochituate Field as part of our Build with Heart initiatives. This was all made possible by generous family and business donors to the Eliza J. Norton Foundation. We are so grateful for the Wayland community and collaboration with the Town of Wayland. This project represents one of many initiatives focused on continuing Eliza’s legacy by providing children with increased access to and enhanced experiences in athletics and beyond.”

Wayland Little League President, Greg Deranian, remarked “As we gather here, we're privileged to shine a light on Eliza and the incredible legacy she's created through the Eliza J. Norton Foundation. Just a few days ago, we celebrated her birthday, and what better way to honor her than by celebrating the beautiful and generous gift she has given our community. The dugouts are nearly complete, and you can already glean how amazing, classy, and professional they will look. They are truly Built with Heart and Eliza would be proud.”

The dugouts are being constructed by Vintage Properties Inc. of Weston and are currently 65% complete. The remaining work consists of the installation of roof structures as well as permanent benches, expected to be completed in the coming months.

For more information about the Eliza J. Norton Foundation, visit their website at elizajnortonfoundation.org.