The Birmingham Parks and Recreation Board is inviting public comment during a special called meeting Tuesday on adding another softball field to George Ward Park to accommodate both current park users and a proposed Major League Baseball Youth Academy.

The meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 19, in the Birmingham City Council Chambers.

Earlier this week, the park board discussed adding another softball field next to the existing softball field in the lower area of the park.

Last week, MLB officials said they are “reassessing” building a youth academy at George Ward Park after some members of the Glen Iris neighborhood expressed concerns about the academy to MLB officials. This additional park is proposed as a sort of compromise between those who had concerns about the MLB Youth Academy coming to George Ward Park and those who support the academy.

Early drawings of what could be an additional field at Birmingham's George Ward Park. (Birmingham City Council/Facebook).

Birmingham City Council Pro Tem William Parker, who serves on the park board, led discussions about the new field during Monday’s special called meeting. The new field would sit adjacent to the existing softball field in the lower part of the park where a surface parking lot, accessible from Green Springs Highway, currently stands.

A new surface parking lot would have to be built on top of green space near the dog park. The construction might also require the dog park to shift slightly in order to not affect the size of the dog park.

Parker said this project could cost the city around $1 million. He suggested using surplus city funds to pay for it.