KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — In late January, the baseball field near Austin-East Magnet High School was vandalized by a truck that appeared to drive over the ground, uprooting grass and ground. It was one of three that were vandalized, causing thousands of dollars worth of damage.
On Thursday, officials with Knoxville said a crew returned to the field to reseed it, helping repair the damage. They said Phil Hatcher, a maintenance foreman with the city's Parks and Recreation Department, and his crews used around 700 pounds of ryegrass seed and starter fertilizer.
They said the materials were valued at around $1,500 and partners across the city collaborated to repair the damage.
Originally, the Knoxville Police Department estimated that it would cost around $10,000 to fully repair it. One Knoxville, a soccer team and sports club, organized a GoFundMe campaign to help restore the field. It exceeded its $10,000 goal in just a few hours.
Another field at Lakeshore Park was vandalized around the same time as the Austin-East field, causing around $3,500 in damage. And another was vandalized at Rocky Hill Ball Fields that caused around $900, according to police.
Authorities previously said they located a car believed to be involved in the Austin-East High School vandalism.