For nearly four years, a big grassy field has served as the Mililani Mauka District Park, offering a place to play baseball and soccer, but not much else. Yesterday, community leaders saw a big step forward in a city groundbreaking.

The ceremonial beginning signals the start of a $1,168,000 project to build the first phase of park improvements: a baseball field with dugouts, bleachers and drinking fountains; the all-important "comfort station" or restroom; and parking and a concrete walkway to the baseball field.

City Council Chairman Donovan Dela Cruz said the project had been planned since the 16-acre parcel was donated by developer Castle & Cooke several years ago. But Dela Cruz said the project stalled under the previous city administration, which did not tap some $600,000 that had been set aside for the project.

Dela Cruz said the fields already are in use by various ball clubs that have been waiting for the rest of the master plan to begin. "It's turning from an open field into an actual park," he said. "It's a very large community; there are lots of kids (and) there's a senior facility right across the street."

Later phases of construction are expected to add more fields and a gymnasium, Dela Cruz said. He praised the administration of Mayor Mufi Hannemann for remembering the smaller parks in the community and not just focusing on the city's largest parks. "We cannot forget to take care of our neighborhood parks," Dela Cruz said.

Dela Cruz said the Central O'ahu Youth Baseball League proved a key community partner. League president and Mililani Mauka resident Mike Siracusa was able to work with the city to have the organization adopt the park.

"We've been waiting for this park a long time," Siracusa said. The city is looking for partners in the community to help operate and maintain parks in these days of competing needs for taxpayer dollars.

Siracusa said his league — 750 members strong — has committed to helping weed, add sand and soil and do what's needed to help keep the fields in playing shape. "We have the people; we have a very good network," he said.

Siracusa knows there are other fields and baseball diamonds in the Central O'ahu area, but sees the need growing. His league works with children ages 5 to 14. "What we want to do is teach the kids they need to take care of the parks," he said.

Reach Robbie Dingeman at rdingeman@honoluluadvertiser.com.