By AMY JONES / Associate Editor

HOOVER — Hoover children with special needs will soon have a safe place to play ball.

The city of Hoover broke ground on its Miracle Field May 20 at the Hoover East Sports Complex on Old Rocky Ridge Road.

Shay Hammonds, founder of the Over the Mountain Miracle League, said the Miracle Field has been three years in the making. The Over the Mountain league, which was founded three years ago, has raised between $60,000-$70,000 for the field. The city of Hoover then donated $300,000 for the field, Hammonds said.

The Hoover Miracle Field will be built over the summer and will be ready for a fall season, Hammonds said.

“It’s been a long three years, but we’re finally coming to the realization that it’s going to happen this fall,” she said.

Hammonds said her passion for the project stems from her love for special needs children and desire to see all children get to play sports. Hammonds does not have a special needs child, but does have three children.

“I love special needs children, and this will give them an opportunity to play,” she said. “The city of Hoover is so large, I just really felt this was a real need.”

She said the league will use a buddy system, which will pair players with typical children.

“(They can) just have fun doing what they love to do,” Hammonds said.

The field, which was designed by Shelby County-based architectural firm Barry Davis Architects, will include a field with a cushioned rubberized surface to help prevent injuries, wheelchair-accessible dugouts and a completely flat surface to serve wheelchair-bound or visually impaired players.