Erial Little League to Host Public Forum on Lights Plan

Erial Little League hopes to have new playing-field lighting operational at its George Erdbrink Complex in time for its 2012 Opening Day festivities on March 31.

In the meantime, in addition to the annual sign-ups, tryouts and preseason practices, league officials will host a public forum for residents who may have any questions or concerns about the upcoming lighting project.

The public forum will be held at Erdbrink Complex on Wednesday, Feb. 22, beginning at 7:30 p.m.

The league has already made a 25-percent down payment and set up a five-year financing plan with Musco Sports Lighting LLC, of Oskaloosa, IA—the same firm that installed the lighting at Gloucester Township Hockey Alliance's Marge Martin Complex and other sports leagues' complexes in the township. It has also hired an electrical contractor to install the lights, according to league treasurer Jeff Mastrogiovanni.

The lights, which should be delivered within the next three to four weeks, would be installed only on the complex's Majors diamond.

When discussing the project with the Township Council in January, Mastrogiovanni noted Musco utilizes reflectors on its lights to limit "spillage" into unintended areas.

Erial and Audubon are currently the only two leagues in New Jersey Little League's District 14 without playing-field lighting.

A league always looking to bolster its player numbers, Mastrogiovanni reminds anyone living in the Erial area that sign-ups continue at Erdbrink Complex Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6 to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon through the end of February and in March on Wednesdays from 6 to 8 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to noon through March 17.