WESTBROOK – On any given weekday in February and March, you can walk by the gymnasium of the Westbrook Community Center and hear the constant ping of aluminum bats swinging away. That’s because, on average, more than 140 baseball and softball players in the city use the centers’ “Hit Pit” batting cages every week, for free.

The indoor hitting facility in the community center, now in its third winter of operation, went through considerable upgrades prior to the holiday break, including new turf flooring, paint, added safety features, “clubhouse” area for players, seating for parents, and new equipment, which has also upped interest in the facility.

The facility features a pitching machine and additional space for players to hit off tees and work with coaches.

According to Greg Post, the deputy director of Westbrook’s Community Services Department, the batting cages have become increasingly popular since their inception at the hands of Westbrook High School baseball coach Greg Souza and the Westbrook Baseball Boosters.

Post said that the space, which was originally a portion of the gymnasium, was refashioned into the batting facility after years of being underutilized. “The dimensions are perfect, and they were really looking for a place to extend their offseason practices,” he said.

Post is also the coach of the Lions little league team, part of Westbrook Little League.

Liam Cooledge, a 12-year-old on the Lions, who also used the facility last year, said last week during practice that the new turf is the most noticeable upgrade.

“I like the turf because (the floor) was really slippery last year,” he said, speaking of the former tile gym floor. “It’s cool that we have this.”

Randy MacWhinnie, the president of Westbrook Little League, said Tuesday that the “Hit Pit” is beneficial for all the members of the league, who can use the facility during the long winter for not only hitting, but pitching as well. “It gets the rust out from a long winter,” he said. “We appreciate that they (center) are collaborating with us.”

MacWhinnie said the recent upgrades only add to the popularity of the facility with kids, who now have a ‘clubhouse’ lounge to use between sessions, complete with a foosball table, TV, couches and lockers.

“As we’ve progressed, more and more kids have been getting involved in the hitting,” he said, which he also says gets parents more involved.

“Parents like the idea of the facility because it keeps their kids active during the winter,” he said. “We’ve had nothing but positive feedback on the whole thing.”

He added that Westbrook Little League will use the facility up to the start of the 2014 baseball season, which usually begins around the first week of April. However, MacWhinnie said he is extra thankful for the “Hit Pit” this year, as snow may keep players off fields later than usual.

According to Post, more than 100 kids from the Little League program have been using the batting facility every week.

The capacity, he said, for providing the facility to kids free of charge is made possible through a fundraising program with local donations and rental fees for non-resident groups who sign up to rent the facility.

“It’s a great community effort,” he said. “It wouldn’t be possible without the tremendous support of volunteers, local businesses, and outside rentals.”

Michael Connolly, 12, waits for his turn in the batting cages last Monday. The recently upgraded facility hosts about 140 Westbrook baseball and softball players on a weekly basis.Greg Post, the deputy director of Westbrook’s Community Services department and coach of the Lions Little League team, feeds baseballs into a new pitching machine last week. The machine was donated by Westbrook business Glacial Multimedia.