Former Major Leauge Baseball player David "Boomer" Wells was on hand as Point Loma High and Dana Middle School students, staff and supporters dedicated Dana's renovated synthetic turf baseball field Thursday.
The David Wells Field is home to Point Loma High School's baseball team and is named after Wells, who now works as the Pointers head varsity baseball coach.
The field underwent a $2 million renovation earlier this year when it was transferred from the city's Parks and Recreation Department to the San Diego Unified School District.
The district and Wells underwrote the makeover, despite inital efforts from some city officials to block the arrangement. The Parks & Recreation and Deveopment Services departments advised against it, arguing that losing the 3.5 acres of joint-use park space would be tough to make up in the peninsula community.
The newly improved field includes football field-like turf, expanded seating, upgraded batting cages and improvements to the pitching mounds.
Not only can the schools use the new field, but the facilities are open to the public and can be be leased by permits through San Diego Unified School District.
Also there to celebrate the dedication was San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, San Diego Unified School District Board Trustee Scott Barnett and Trustee-elect Dr. Michael McQuary as well as the schools' principals Hans Becker and Scott Irwin.