After playing sandlot football at the lower end of Bisset Park for 20-plus years, the boys and girls of fall now have a new home, as The Radford Parks and Recreation Department and the City of Radford dedicated a new field at Riverview Park last Saturday.

Members of the parks and recreation commission, along with city employees and other community volunteers spent countless hours installing new lights and a new scoreboard, planting new grass, moving bleachers and expanding the parking area.

During Saturday's opening ceremonies, Keith Marshal, a member of Radford City Council, spoke about the countless hours or work, dedication and planning that went into preparing this field.

"We know that we still have some growing pains, especially with the parking situation," noted Marshall.

According to Greg Holbrook, Assistant Director of Parks and Recreation, plans are in the works to expand the open area near the playground And basketball courts into a parking area, plus widening the road into and out of the park.

Marshall said in his closing remarks, “We now dedicate this field to the boys and girls of fall."

Matthew Saunders, the head football coach at Radford High School then did the opening coin toss, as the Bobcats Black team took to the gridiron against Christiansburg.

Radford fields five teams in the senior, junior and mite leagues of the New River Valley Recreation Football League, which is compose of 36 teams from Montgomery County, Radford, Christiansburg, Blacksburg and Pulaski County.

Photos: (Top) Keith Marshall of the Radford City Council speaks to the crowd during last Saturday’s opening ceremonies. (Right) Radford head football coach Matthew Saunders flips the coin as referee Chuck Morris looks on. (Photos by David Grimes)