ST. JAMES, NY — Two St. James parks are set to get a synthetic turf makeover.

The main Little League field at Gaynor Park is set to be finished this week in time for the spring season, according to the Town of Smithtown Parks Department. Additionally, the construction of the new synthetic field at the largest softball field at Moriches Park is expected to be completed in a month's time, according to the town.

These improvements are the result of a partnership with the St. James Smithtown Little League for field improvements to both increase the amount of field time, as well as enhance the safety and overall experience for the town's youth.

"There is really nothing like building a park that our young residents get to enjoy and build lifelong memories on," Smithtown Supervisor Edward Wehrheim stated. "I want to express my gratitude to the St James Smithtown Little League for this collaboration between parents, coaches and our team here. Secondly, I need to really shed light on our Parks team for an outstanding job well done. Every member of the Parks Department genuinely comes to work, loving what they do each day for our community. Like me, they live for the smiles on the faces of our kids enjoying the game, the camaraderie and soon, the new fields."

The ball field at Moriches Park and the little league field at Gaynor Park have been resurfaced with a 90-foot synthetic turf infield. Both synthetic fields feature new upgrades for safety, including raising the fencing to upwards of 10 feet, to protect spectators and vehicles from fly balls.

At Gaynor Park, brick walkways surround a tinted concrete sidewalk. The darker concrete are meant to extend the appeal and overall aesthetics of the areas. This addition to the facility at Gaynor aims to complement the previous renovation work, which included new basketball and tennis courts, in addition to a new state-of-the-art playground.

At Moriches Park, the Smithtown Parks Department is set to rebuild a new dugout, backstop and add fencing as part of the field restoration. The synthetic field replacement complements previous park renovations including the artificial turf field replacement at the Moriches Park Soccer Complex, which was completed last April. Additional renovations completed at Moriches Park include the new soft splash pad at the waterpark, state-of-the-art playground, interactive playhouse, new fencing surrounding the play areas, concrete sidewalks, LED user-friendly crosswalk, and landscaping.