Dodd Stadium to get new parking lot lights

Norwich — With the protective foul ball extended netting now installed at the Thomas J. Dodd Memorial Stadium, city officials are turning their attention to the stadium parking lot, where new LED light fixtures are expected to be installed by the end of July.

Baseball Stadium Authority member Gary Schnip, in charge of stadium operations, said the existing poles will be used, but new fixtures and LED bulbs will be installed to better illuminate the parking lot. Schnip said the lights will qualify for a rebate through Norwich Public Utilities, so the final cost was not available.

Most of the old parking lot lights no longer work, Connecticut Tigers general manager Dave Schermerhorn said. The parking lot is partially illuminated by large emergency lights on the exterior walls of the stadium.

The protective foul ball netting now runs above the dugouts, covering an additional section of seating on each side of home plate, enough to reach the 70-foot radius around home plate recommended by Major League Baseball.

 Schermerhorn said the Tigers contacted season ticketholders in the affected areas, and fans generally understood the public safety reasons for the extended netting.

“We’ve had a lot of positive feedback,” Schermerhorn said.