Tacoma, WA – On January 15, Tacoma Public Schools and Parks Tacoma joined Stadium High School baseball players, coaches and community members to celebrate the grand opening of Aaron Pointer Field. The event featured a festive ribbon-cutting ceremony, marking the completion of a project that will benefit students and the broader community for years to come.
The newly dedicated Aaron Pointer Field is part of Parks Tacoma’s master plan to renew and reimagine Peck Community Sports Park. This state-of-the-art facility is fully equipped for year-round play, offering batting cages, bullpens, synthetic turf, storage facilities, fencing and ADA-accessible ramps.
Last month, the Parks Tacoma Board of Commissioners unanimously voted to name the field after retired Board Commissioner Aaron Pointer, who is a former Major League Baseball player and former athletic director who spent decades mentoring kids in sports and life. Now officially Aaron Pointer Field — Home of the Stadium Tigers — the space serves as a tribute to his legacy.
“As a kid who grew up across the street from a park, I know how essential resources like this are for the health and development of young people,” Aaron Pointer reflected when asked how it feels to have the new field bear his name. “Having called Tacoma home for the majority of my adult life, it’s difficult to convey just how honored I am to be recognized in this way by the community I love. I’m grateful not just for this recognition, but for all of the wonderful aspects of my life in Tacoma that it symbolizes.”
The field, which is owned by Parks Tacoma, will serve as home field for Stadium High School baseball and is also designed for multisport use, including soccer and lacrosse. When not in use for games or practices, the fenced facility will be managed and programmed for community activities.
“This partnership with Parks Tacoma opens doors that students might never have considered,” said Korey Strozier, Tacoma Public Schools Board President. “Together with Parks Tacoma and our community partners, we are working to inspire and serve the sports and recreation needs of our students and community.”
Beyond the baseball field, the revitalization plan for Peck Community Sports Park includes multiple basketball courts, a sports court and a wave wheels track designed to help young cyclists develop their skills. These amenities will be added in response to strong interest from Hilltop and Central Tacoma youth and families.
The updated park design will also prioritize neighborhood requests for improved safety and accessibility. Planned features include open lawns, a shelter, a walking trail, a playground, a garden and a new building to house equipment rentals, concessions and modern restrooms.
“I am excited by the transformation underway at Peck that will not only lead to more active use of the fields year-round, but also greater access for the surrounding neighborhood,” said Parks Tacoma Board President Andrea Smith. “The community did a wonderful job communicating the various priorities of park neighbors and over the next several years of redevelopment, this park will be a destination enjoyed regularly by all.”
The Stadium baseball field project is one of several improvements funded by the $535 million Tacoma Public Schools capital bond approved by voters in 2020. The project’s cost totaled $4.5 million. Parks Tacoma’s portion of the funding, included in its Capital Investment Plan, will address additional park amenities and improvements.
Looking ahead, Tacoma Public Schools plans to add field lighting to the baseball field in 2025, an upgrade estimated at $500,000. Parks Tacoma expects to begin construction on the next phase of improvements at Peck Community Sports Park improvements by the fall of 2026.
This project is part of a broader partnership between Tacoma Public Schools and Parks Tacoma, which began in 2023 to explore building an all-season, multisport field at Peck. Additionally, under current and future capital improvement programs, Parks Tacoma plans to revitalize five Central and Hilltop area parks, including People’s Community Center, Stanley Playfield, People’s Park and Ferry Park playground.
For more information on these projects, visit: About Peck Community Sports ParkAbout Parks Tacoma Master Plan
