The Salem Soccer Park Association has been formed as a non-profit organization with the goal of working in a public-private partnership with the city to develop a soccer field complex.
Matt Stanford, who heads the association, says they have worked out a 10-year lease with the Salem Little League for 15 acres south of the current baseball complex.
“I guess the first thing we are going to try and do is put in the culverts and parking. With that, we should be able to collect all the topsoil from that, and respread it back over the fields to build the fields up a little bit so the kids are now playing soccer underwater which can happen now. Then we’ll try and move forward from there. I know it is probably a pretty aggressive timeline, but we would like to have fields with grass on them, at least a couple of them, that we can play by at least next spring.”
Stanford explains what the first phase of the project will consist of.
“Three big fields along with a few small fields that are scattered throughout. We’ve quoted the two parking lots to be about 60 feet wide by 500 feet long.”
Stanford says there will be fields for the Salem Community High School team down to fields that can be used for the little kids in the YMCA program. He notes other fields and amenities such as their own bathrooms and concession stands will come later. For now, they will share those facilities with the Little League. Stanford says the facility will also be able to host tournaments.
Stanford says the big push now is to raise $50,000 to go with another $50,000 that is already committed.
“The city has given us $100,000 in grant money to start off. It was allocated last year. We are moving forward with that. Hopefully, we can raise another $100,000 from the city this next year. Then we can put $100,000 in private money from local businesses or whatever behind it to hopefully get this thing off the group and up and running.”
Stanford is reaching out to businesses and individuals who would like to contribute. He says the help can come in the way of monetary donations as well as donations of rock, topsoil, or work in creating the complex. Those who would like to help can contact Stanford at 618-292-3666.
