Commission allocates $50,000 for soccer complex project

FAIRMONT — The Marion County Commission has approved a $50,000 allocation to help get the ball rolling on a lighting and artificial turf project at the Marion County Youth Soccer Association (MCYSA) soccer complex.

At their meeting this week, the commissioners approved the request for funding from MCYSA for the project at its “For the Kids” Soccer Complex on Route 250, past Barrackville.

“We’re very appreciative,” said MCYSA president Andy Wharton. “We’re very thankful for their generosity to the community. I think it’s a worthwhile project. There are a lot of kids that participate in our league, and it will be very beneficial to those kids.”

“We’ve been here for many years, and the numbers have grown tremendously, so it’s a good investment for the community,” association treasurer Todd Hoy said.

According to information from Wharton, MCYSA facilitates recreation activities for approximately 1,000 Marion County families each year.

He said the number has grown over the past several years, and this has increased the association’s need for usable time and space.

“Darkness and wet weather have tremendously impacted our ability to accommodate everyone adequately,” he wrote in a handout. “In our most recent season, there were many teams who were only able to participate in 50 percent of their scheduled games due to field conditions.”

He said these limiting factors resulted in cancellations and the inability to provide make-up games.

As as result, MCYSA has proposed a capital improvement project which includes surfacing the two largest soccer fields at the complex with artificial turf and adding field lighting throughout the soccer complex.

According to Wharton, these improvements will add usable time and improve field conditions.

Benefits of the improvements are lower upkeep costs because of no mowing, lower supply costs because of no field paint and less of a burden on volunteers with set-up and painting, according to Wharton’s information.

Other advantages include a safer playing surface, added game times because of evening slots and less cancellations because of the weather, the information notes.

The total project cost is $201,840. In addition to the allocation from the commission, MCYSA has raised $100,000.

Wharton said the association is hopeful it can secure the remainder of the money needed for the project.

The county owns the land of the complex, which Wharton said is dedicated solely to MCYSA.

He is excited about the project.

“I can’t wait until we can move forward with that.”

Hoy called the project “a huge step.”