Five baseball diamonds at Todd Park will soon have newly renovated dugouts, new on-deck circles and, in two of the fields, new windscreens.

The improvements to the diamonds are compliments of the Twins Fields for Kids grant program, which provides grants to improve baseball and softball facilities for youth in the Upper Midwest and Southwest Florida.

“It’s a great opportunity,” Tina Strauss, head softball coach for Austin High School, said. “It’s great that the Twins organization is willing to give back to softball and baseball.”

Austin was awarded $10,000 from the grant program, which is the highest possible amount, and the money will be used to renovate areas of the baseball diamonds that were hit by tornadoes in 2009.

“It’s great that they give that money to our Minnesota communities,” Park and Recreation Director Kim Underwood said.

Underwood said the idea to apply for the grant came from the baseball and softball coaches.

Strauss said that some of the ideas for renovation came from touring other baseball diamonds in other cities. One idea was to put the on-deck circle inside of the dugout area instead of keeping it on the field.

“It looked like a safer option,” Strauss said.

Underwood agreed that it would be safer to place the circle outside of the field area. Shielding the on-deck circle from the field area will help protect players from fly balls or thrown bats, Underwood explained.

Two of the baseball fields will be receiving new windscreens on the dugouts along with the renovations on the dugouts and on-deck circles. Strauss said the windscreens are meant to keep out rain and provide shade.

According to Underwood, the grant only allows upgrades to essential field components, like new sod, infield, fencing and dugouts. The grant also requires all renovations be completed by July 1, 2011.

“We don’t want to wait that long,” she said. “A good part of the ground part will be done this year.”

Underwood said the windscreens will likely be put up in the spring.

Strauss said she is excited about the improvements that are being made, and she is looking forward to everything being completed in the spring.

“We’re really appreciative of the Twins grant,” Strauss said. “The hundreds of kids and adults that use the fields will really benefit from the renovations.”