At long last, Center Township's American Legion and Colt League baseball teams are coming home.

Construction is under way for a Legion and Colt baseball field and girls softball field adjacent to the current baseball complex located behind Center Township Elementary School.

The project is expected to be far enough along so that the Center Township teams can use the fields in 2006.

"We're being pretty aggressive (with the timetable), but we think we can get it done," former Center Township Athletic Association president and field project manager John Link said.

Efforts to build a Legion field in Center Township have been ongoing for years. The fields are being constructed on six acres of wooded land that is surrounded by the township's current baseball complex and a residential area.

Link said he started talking to the previous landowner about acquiring that property seven years ago.

The Center Township commissioners bought the land in February.

"We've been talking about doing this for a long time," said Center Township Legion baseball manager Kevin Shaffer. "With Pullman Park becoming unavailable, the time to do it is now, so we've gotten started."

Center Township Legion formerly played its home games at Pullman Park. Because of renovations being done there, the team played its home games in Prospect this season.

The Colt League team played its home games in Connoquenessing.

"We've had to rent fields for our teams to play on," Link said. "Now we'll have a place to call home."

Trees have been cleared from most of the six acres. Earth moving will begin after completion of a topographical survey.

Shaffer said the initial land clearing cost nearly $2,000. The land leveling has been donated.

"This project will be completed in bits and pieces, with funding coming from a variety of sources," Shaffer said.

Total estimated cost of the project is $35,000. The funding is coming from state grants, fund-raisers, as well as private and corporate donations.

The Legion and softball fields will be built simultaneously.

"The field won't be a showcase right away - an outfield fence and backstop, that's about all - but we'll be able to play on it," Shaffer said. "And we'll improve it as time goes on."

Field layout and grass planting is scheduled for September. Three acres of land will be used for the baseball field, one and a half acres for the softball diamond, the rest of the land for a parking lot.

The Legion field will be 325 feet down the lines and 400 feet to straightaway center field. It will have a grass infield while the softball field will have a dirt infield.

"These fields will be an extension of our present complex," Link said.

Bleachers for the new field will come "down the road," Link said. Lights may be a possibility in years to come as well.

"It cost about $60,000 to light a Legion field," Link said. "It's something we'll look at, but not right away."