CLEVELAND, OH (WOIO) -
The transformation of Cleveland's field of dreams is underway. League Park on East 66th and Lexington is getting a huge facelift to restore it to its glory days.
Right now it's more of a destruction phase.
Workers first tore down the tall fence that once surrounded the Hough neighborhood treasure.
Decades old trees have also been removed to make way for the new league park.
19 Action News spoke to LaJean Ray, the director of the Fatima Family Center which is located directly across the street from the parks.
"We can actually see that trucks are there. The contractors are there. The trees are being taken out. We're so excited," said LaJean Ray. "We've been promised year after year, after year it was going to start. A wonderful testament to our belated councilwoman Fannie M. Lewis, this was her dream certainly for many years."
The only things left standing of the historic league park is the old ticket house and the original wall. The baseball field, where Babe Ruth hit his 500th home run and The Negro League played its World Series, sat suspended in action until this week.
The community has had a major role in moving League Park, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, from a dream deferred to a scheduled late 2013 fall opening.
"I'm loving this. I don't know what to say. I never thought it would happen. I'm overjoyed," said Denna Reeves.
"I came by, I seen they were pulling fence posts, next day I rode by and I seen them starting to clean out some of the trees. I got excited about seeing League Park again coming up," said Elmwood Clark.
The former home of the Indians will be transformed from just a wide open space into a planned multi-million dollar first-class ballpark and museum.
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League Park located on E. 66th and Lexington in Cleveland
