CICERO — After more than a decade in the making, the overhaul of Skyway Park in Cicero is finally complete. The town, local leaders and North Syracuse Little League cut the ribbon on the revamped park Sept. 21.
“It’s been a very, very long and tremendously rewarding project,” said project manager Pat Benz, of RFP Construction Advisors Corp.
Benz, a longtime Cicero resident and Little League volunteer, said the process for renovations began in 2009 under Jody Rogers, who retired as director of Cicero Youth Bureau, Parks and Recreation in 2020. Three phases of construction over the next 12 years brought about a new concession stand and restrooms; reconfiguration of baseball and softball fields, addition of pickleball courts and expansion of the playground; and a repaved parking lot with 100 spaces.
“The playground is amazing. I think it’s my favorite part of the park — and I’m a baseball guy,” said Benz, whose three sons played in NSLL. “I’ve done probably 100 construction projects. … This is probably my favorite one.”
“The majority of the people that come to this park are associated with North Syracuse Little League,” said Teresa Roth, current director of Cicero Youth Bureau, Parks and Recreation. “Hundreds, if not thousands, of families bring their kids here for Little League, and you really enhanced it by doing upgrades to the fields.”
The park now boasts five regulation Little League fields, and one of the baseball fields was converted to a girls softball field.
Assemblyman Al Stirpe was instrumental in securing $125,000 in State and Municipal (SAM) Facilities Grants for the project, Roth said. Funding from the town of Cicero and Onondaga County Community Development made up the balance of project costs, and local businesses, volunteers and contractors offered in-kind donations and their time to make the new Skyway Park a reality.
Mike Kasch, past president of NSLL, detailed the history of the project. After the completion of Phase I — concessions and restroom upgrades — NSLL was chosen to host a major softball tournament. Phase II, completed in 2016, added basketball, tennis and pickleball courts as well as the playground.
Kasch credited Rogers with much of the project’s success.
“She always had solutions — never said no — and told me when to be patient,” he said.
Stirpe said the two people in his district who always follow through and complete their projects ahead of schedule are Rogers and Roth.
“When it comes to Cicero-North Syracuse … I always know they’re in very good hands,” he said.
Stirpe also commended community volunteers for their work.
“You had parents out there with backhoes and bulldozers. People pitch in because they want their children to have the best experience,” he said.
Rogers called the project “a private-public partnership that was done properly” and credited Roth for her seamless leadership transition. She also thanked Rudy Zona of RZ Engineering and Dave Sliski of C.T. Male for the donation of their services.
Rogers reminded the elected officials present of the importance of parks and rec.
“The impact that recreation brings to this community, and I’ve said it for years — 33 of mine — is incredible,” she said. “Remember that at budget time.”
Skyway Park is located at 5950 E. Taft Road in North Syracuse.
