Rankin Inlet (Jun 21/06) - The next time somebody slides into second base at the Rankin Inlet baseball diamond, they won't have to buy a new pair of pants.

George Kusugak and Matthew Adams spread dirt on the baseball diamond in Rankin Inlet last week. This will be the first season softball players won't have to deal with a gravel infield. - Andrew Raven/NNSL photo

That's because the Kivalliq community is replacing its gravel-covered infield with pain-free dirt barged in last summer from the south.

"From experience, the gravel is not very forgiving," said David Clark, Rankin's assistant recreation co-ordinator and avid softballer.

"People slide, but it hurts. This is a big improvement. A lot of people are excited about it."

Clark, three hamlet employees and four summer students were working on the diamond last week, spreading the limestone clay over the infield.

This will be the first summer Rankin residents won't have to play on gravel, Clark said. Well, at least in the infield - the outfield is still covered with the stuff.

The crew plans to lay down about 10 cm of dirt, which should save some arms and legs along with making it easier to field grounders.

"Balls used to come at you from every which way," said Clark.

"You never knew exactly where they were going."

The new infield is part of a hamlet-funded makeover of the aging diamond.

Clark said plans are afoot to move the hand-operated scoreboard and clean up the area around the dugouts. This comes after the orientation of the entire field was changed to reduce the effect of howling winds and make the sun less of a factor in the field.

The Rankin softball season is scheduled to start July 4. So far, about 150 players have signed up for eight teams, Clark said.