City leaders declare Wednesday, April 19th “Partnership Celebration Day”, celebrating the partnership of making Barber Park the home of Greensboro Softball
Greensboro, NC – The City of Greensboro, in conjunction with Greensboro Parks and Recreation and Greensboro College have declared that Wednesday, April 19th is “Partnership Celebration Day.” This day will celebrate the tremendous work and effort put in over the past year to renovate Barber Park’s Penn-Wright Stadium, which is now the home of the Greensboro College Softball team.
“Greensboro is many things to many people,” said Greensboro City Mayor Nancy Vaughn. “We’ve been a textile town and we’re well on our way to being a technology town. But one thing we’ve been for a long time is a sports town. The partnership between the City of Greensboro, our Parks and Recreation Department and the Greensboro College Softball program is an amazing example of what we can accomplish together. This facility is a win-win partnership for all involved. We can all have a lot of “Pride” in Penn-Wright Stadium.”
This special partnership dates back to the early 1970’s when a fledgling men’s soccer club formed on campus and needed facilities at city parks to play their games. It continued into the 1990’s and early 2000’s with baseball at War Memorial Stadium, which eventually transitioned to the Ted Leonard Baseball Park. The Pride’s Women’s softball program got a boost in being allowed to play at Carolyn Allen and Latham Parks, paving the way for this opportunity at Penn-Wright Stadium. The agreement has included reciprocity arrangements allowing use of the College’s campus facilities for select City events, and Greensboro College is proud to be a major player in the donation of land for the first and final legs of the Downtown Greenway.
“We are thrilled to call Barber Park our home,” said Greensboro Head Softball Coach Meredith Mills. “Our ladies deserve a first-class experience while they are at GC and Barber Park and Penn-Wright Stadium allows them to have that. I cannot thank the city of Greensboro and the department of parks and recreation enough for all they have done to make this possible.”
Without question, Greensboro College’s historic partnership with the City of Greensboro and Parks and Recreation allows the College to provide a first-class experience for its student-athletes while simultaneously contributing to all aspects of wellness, health and fitness and economic development for the City through event tourism.
“The movement of softball from Latham Park to Barber Park has already been a major game changer, with the Pride currently in first place in the USA South Athletic Conference and sporting a 25-5 overall record” said Greensboro College Director of Athletics Kim Strable.” “The surface quality along with larger dugouts, stadium seating, a utility building that houses restrooms, an officials’ locker room, a concessions area and a press box are all essentials for collegiate softball and Parks and Recreation deserves so much credit for committing to this new partnership initiative.”
Prior to Wednesday’s game against Meredith College, the City of Greensboro, Greensboro Parks and Recreation and the Greensboro College Athletic Department will hold a special ceremony to honor the contributions of everyone involved in making this partnership a reality.