City usedredevelopment funds to build two athletic fields
MORGAN HILL
Hundreds of men, women and children braved frigid weather to attend the grand opening of the $10-million Outdoor Recreation Center on Condit Road.
Perhaps it was fitting that the noise from the attendees, especially children, drowned out remarks from city leaders when the official ceremony began Thursday evening. The bleachers went abuzz minutes later when officials approached the crowd for the symbolic ribbon-cutting and tossed basketballs, footballs and soccer balls to the eager, hand-waving crowd.
Officials have touted the economic benefits of the center situated on about 40 acres in the southeast portion of the city.
Built primarily with Redevelopment Agency funds, the center’s two artificial turf-laden fields will be used by Pop Warner football and Orchard Valley Youth Soccer League at the cost of about $4 per hour, said Steve Rymer, the director of the Recreation and Community Services Department. Outside groups groups will pay between $28 and $56 an hour.
In addition to the fields, the center includes bleachers, a clubhouse with restrooms and meeting areas, all beneath bright lights. As part of the project, a parking lot was built and the area was landscaped to seamlessly fit in with the adjacent Aquatics Center.
There are 11 grass soccer fields at the site that are leased to the California Youth Soccer League for regional tournaments for about $12,000 a year. The city estimates operational costs for the enhanced facility could be $71,000 a year depending on usage. The cost would be covered by money from field renters and general fund dollars.
“This is going to generate a lot of money for us,” councilman Greg Sellers said during his remarks to the gathered crowd.
Stefan Valdez, 11, looked forward to taking the field with his Raiders Pop Warner teammates. The wide receiver and free safety was in full uniform Thursday night and the benefits of the new field were already apparent on him.
“It’s a lot better than grass because you get itchy,” he said.
Rich Phillips, the league’s president, said the fields were “a dream come true” and a huge improvement over the 50-year-old Britton Middle School field where the league previously held its games.
“We’ve been talking about this for 25 years,” he said.
