OT: Ever been to Polar Park?

[MrSec224]

First of all, there's nothing as pretty as a baseball field, even a bad one. (Some golf courses come close.)

In a game of inches, Polar comes up an inch short. It's not a bad place but it is less than it could be. I get the sense that it was built on the cheap.

The field lighting is supplied by standard Musco modular light poles. My kid's high school has that. It's good, it's cheap, it functions, but there was an opportunity to do something a little nicer. I like the way Dunkin integrates their lighting into the roof system.

Polar has an extraordinary amount of exposed concrete. It works, it functions, and its cheap...but very ugly (think PAWS-ARF...blech). Polar decided to paint every square inch of concrete with a monotone blue paint. Yuck.

The materials used seem to be industrial grade but not the cool industrial grade of a hipster coffee shop, the cheap industrial, functional grade of an outdoor facility that will receive very little maintenance once its installed. Built to last.

And can anyone explain to me what this narrow stairway is doing in right filed at Polar? Not quite wide enough for 2-way traffic it provides access to this ugly terrace but makes access to/from right field and the 1st base grandstand awkward.

View attachment 89739

I get a kick out of the peculiarities of a baseball stadium. I like the fact that the opposing teams meet at home plate before the game to go over the ground rules. "If the ball hits to the left of the yellow line it's in play, to the right it's a home run!" I might be the only one who liked Tal's Hill. The net in right field of Dunkin is one of those things without being a Metrodome Baggie.

Overall, I got the feeling that Polar was built quickly on the cheap. I was expecting better. Still love a baseball field, any baseball field.

The chief build was during 2020 when obviously the world was burning. They had to be ready for 2021 and faced a ton of obstacles due to it. They then decided to slow down production on the intricacies of things to get the important part open. And have made major enhancements each of the last two years too.

So yes there were prob some corners cut due to the circumstances for sure

 

[HuskyHawk]

First of all, there's nothing as pretty as a baseball field, even a bad one. (Some golf courses come close.)

In a game of inches, Polar comes up an inch short. It's not a bad place but it is less than it could be. I get the sense that it was built on the cheap.

The field lighting is supplied by standard Musco modular light poles. My kid's high school has that. It's good, it's cheap, it functions, but there was an opportunity to do something a little nicer. I like the way Dunkin integrates their lighting into the roof system.

Polar has an extraordinary amount of exposed concrete. It works, it functions, and its cheap...but very ugly (think PAWS-ARF...blech). Polar decided to paint every square inch of concrete with a monotone blue paint. Yuck.

The materials used seem to be industrial grade but not the cool industrial grade of a hipster coffee shop, the cheap industrial, functional grade of an outdoor facility that will receive very little maintenance once its installed. Built to last.

And can anyone explain to me what this narrow stairway is doing in right filed at Polar? Not quite wide enough for 2-way traffic it provides access to this ugly terrace but makes access to/from right field and the 1st base grandstand awkward.

View attachment 89739

I get a kick out of the peculiarities of a baseball stadium. I like the fact that the opposing teams meet at home plate before the game to go over the ground rules. "If the ball hits to the left of the yellow line it's in play, to the right it's a home run!" I might be the only one who liked Tal's Hill. The net in right field of Dunkin is one of those things without being a Metrodome Baggie.

Overall, I got the feeling that Polar was built quickly on the cheap. I was expecting better. Still love a baseball field, any baseball field.

Well it doesn’t look like that now. The lower terrace is “Craft Corner” craft beers and many tables with umbrellas. To the right of those stairs that terrace too is filled with tables with umbrellas. There’s A BT‘s Smokehouse there and a harpoon beer location. Went up and down those stairs a couple of times. They are fine and two way traffic fits.

Out beyond those upper outfield seats the park is open to the street, with multiple additional vendors/locations.

My complaint if any, is that there are lot of twists and turns and ups and downs, but I suspect that follows the land.

 

[karstenkibbe]

Well it doesn’t look like that now. The lower terrace is “Craft Corner” craft beers and many tables with umbrellas. To the right of those stairs that terrace too is filled with tables with umbrellas. There’s A BT‘s Smokehouse there and a harpoon beer location. Went up and down those stairs a couple of times. They are fine and two way traffic fits.

Out beyond those upper outfield seats the park is open to the street, with multiple additional vendors/locations.

My complaint if any, is that there are lot of twists and turns and ups and downs, but I suspect that follows the land.

Anything worthy of your elevated palate at Craft Corner? I saw they have Wormtown, Wachusett and Greater Good. Was hoping for something a little more exciting.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Anything worthy of your elevated palate at Craft Corner? I saw they have Wormtown, Wachusett and Greater Good. Was hoping for something a little more exciting.

No, but it’s ballpark beer on a hot day. I tired Crush Groove by Soul Purpose. 4.3% IPA that was just about what I’d want on hot day. Sister brewery to Greater Good. Wormtown would be fine but the lineup of beers was weak.