By Kristin Bednarski
Sun staff

A field dedication program and ribbon cutting ceremony for Brian Wilson Field in Batavia Township will be held April 16 at the Batavia Township Community Center.

Brian Wilson Field is a project that was completed by the Reds Community Fund, Batavia Township Trustees and University of Cincinnati Clermont College.

Batavia Township Administrator Rex Parsons said Cincinnati Reds player Jay Bruce, who helped fund the field as part of the Reds Community Fund, will attend the event along with Reds announcer Marty Brennaman, Cincinnati Reds Community Fund officials, township trustees, UC Clermont officials and baseball players.

The field renovation project is a part of the Reds Community Fund program, and it was created to underwrite expenses for improvements to area youth baseball fields throughout the Greater-Cincinnati area.

Officials with the community fund worked with township trustees and UC Clermont officials to renovate a field at the Batavia Township Community Center so that the UC Clermont Cougars baseball team could have a home field to practice and play games on.

Previously, UC Clermont Cougars used fields in Blue Ash to practice and play games.

The field will also be used by many local teams the rest of the year and when UC Clermont Players are not playing.

Renovations to the field have been underway since officials announced plans for Brian Wilson Field May 2, 2012.

“We’re very, very proud of how it is coming out,” Trustee Bill Dowdney said about the field.

Dowdney said they are looking forward to having UC Clermont Cougars play games on the new field.

Bruce, who contributed a portion of his contract to the Reds Community Fund and helped fund the field, wanted to name the field after Brian Wilson, the recruiter who persuaded him to play for the Reds years ago. Wilson passed away in 2006.

“It’s the least I could do to dedicate this field to him,” Bruce said during the ceremony last year.

Parsons said members of Wilson’s family are planning to attend the field dedication.

The day of the dedication will also be held on a home game day for the UC Clermont Cougars baseball team.

Parsons said the Cougars will have a double header game after the dedication ceremony April 16.

Parsons said community members are invited to attend the program and ribbon cutting ceremony and stay for the games.

He said the dedication ceremony will begin at 11 a.m.