(November 2001)
The grass continues to fill in and with the addition of several new stormwater leaching basins the common areas have been touched up and re-hydroseeded. The concession building structure has been erected and with the help of a few excellent weekend warrior volunteers the trusses, sheating, felt, shingles, fascia, siding, soffit, exterior doors and exterior painting were completed.
The sidewalk around the building is now in place, with mechanical, plumbing and electrical systems roughed-in. Plans are to complete wood siding, attic insulation, interior doors, drywall hanging, taping and interior painting through the winter with the help of volunteers.
Flooring, mechanical, plumbing and electrical trim will be completed by subcontractors over the winter period. We are still planning to play on our new fields in the spring with the concession and restroom facilities available.
The parking lot island curbs, trees and asphalt paving will not be completed until next Spring
(August 2001)
PORTAGE CONTRIBUTES $200,000 FOR COMPLEX -
David Rice
The City of Portage agreed to give $200,000 to the PSC for the development of the Portage Community Soccer Complex. The monies require a $200,000 matching grant from PSC, which has already been met.
Under a ten year license agreement executed by the City and the PSC, the City will be allowed to use the fields for youth recreation programs provided their programs do not conflict with PSC, AYSO and tournament commitments.
The agreement with the PSC is similar to the one the City made in 1995 with South Portage Little League when the City provided $200,000 for the development of their facility on Centre Street.
Thanks to Mayor Gary Brown, members of the City Council, City Manager Mike Stampfler, and Parks Director Bill Deming for their support and assistance in securing this much needed grant.
Portage Community Soccer Complex Update - Gordon Groves
Construction continues at the complex that we anticipate will be ready for play in spring 2002. The irrigation system is online and under multi-zone control. The grass is growing and filling in the barren spots. The landscaping contractor is mowing and fertilizing the fields in accordance with contract documents. Areas affected by storm water runoff were remediated, and control measures were put
in place to prevent future erosion.
The concession/maintenance building design is complete and drawings have been submitted to the City or Portage for permit approval. Construction of the building should be completed by the end of October.
Once most heavy equipment operations are completed, the parking lot curbs and asphalt will be installed. The common areas that were not seeded due to future building construction will be completed late fall and trees and shrubs will be planted in the islands.
The next time you are in the Sprinkle/Bishop Road area, drive by the complex and see for yourself how our fields are shaping up.
(March 2001)
The grass is greening up at our new nine-field soccer complex on Bishop Road behind Soccerzone. We anticipate the project will be completed and ready for our teams to use for league play this fall.
Progress to date - irrigation roughed-in, fields seeded, perimeter fence installed, storm water management system completed, parking lot graded, water well installed and three-phase power brought to the site.
Progress planned for spring and summer - common areas seeded, irrigation system started up, concrete curbs poured, parking lot paved , guardrail installed and concession building construction.
Current progress - Howard Overbeek Architect has been retained to design the concession building and construction should start in the next four to six weeks. PSC is looking for trades workers to assist with this construction from excavation through electrical. The building will be slab on grade, masonry load bearing walls, wood trusses, asphalt shingle roof, fascia and soffit.
(November 2001)
The 2000 construction season saw considerable progress on the development of our new complex. Following the May 11 groundbreaking, grading and underground storm drainage work began. The wet spring and rainy summer caused us to lose about 40 days and put us behind schedule. We had hoped to complete this phase of construction by mid July; it was closer to mid September.
What we lost to weather in the summer we made up for with a beautiful fall. The weather was dry and warm and the construction pace accelerated. We were able to install the underground irrigation system, fencing and gates (over a mile long!) and seed the fields. Best of all, the grass was growing when we ceased construction for the winter.
Over the winter months, the plans for the combination restrooms, concession and storage building will be completed. During 2001 we will construct the building (building trades volunteers needed) and pave the parking lot. We are on target for the grand opening in fall 2001.
All of this would never have occurred without the assistance of our development partners - A.Y.S.O. Region 74 and the Portage Invitational Tournament. A.Y.S.O. has contributed nearly $61,000 during 2000 including an early Christmas present of $15,000. The Tournament has contributed over $200,000 to the fields fund.
In late December we arranged a $650,000 mortgage with National City Bank and Portage Commerce Bank. The proceeds of the mortgage were used to pay off the land contract and outstanding construction bills. Thanks to Larry Lueth and John Dalton at National City and Ed Pitchford for their assistance.
Finally, a special thank you to Gordon Groves and Cornerstone Construction Management. Gordon and his firm are donating their services as general contractor for this project. Not only is their donation a significant cost savings for us but their expertise is invaluable. Thanks Gordon for the many hours you are spending on our behalf.
United Soccer Foundation launches fund drive for new fields
(from USF December newsletter)
What is the United Soccer Foundation and what does it do?
The United Soccer Foundation is a group of soccer volunteers - like you -
dedicated to enhancing youth and adult soccer in the Kalamazoo area. Right
now, more than 6,000 children play soccer in this area. While that number
increases yearly, some of the basics - like safe, appropriate fields - have
not kept pace with the rapid team growth. The United Soccer Foundation was
formed as a unique, collaborative effort to determine common needs, goals,
and strategies to combat these issues. The USF is governed by a Board of 13
members, including representatives from River Oaks AYSO 212, Portage
Invitational Tournament, Vicksburg Soccer Club, Portage AYSO 74, and
Portage Soccer Club. The group's primary focus is the renovation and
construction of three soccer complexes containing 34 soccer fields
throughout Kalamazoo County. A community-wide campaign has been launched to
fund this project.
How much will the plan cost?
The USF is raising $3,825,000 for renovation and construction of 34 fields.
Each soccer complex has a unique "checklist" of necessities from irrigation
to fencing to land purchase. All facilities, when completed, will have
sufficient parking, concessions and restroom facilities, and irrigation.
What is the Endowment Fund and how will it be used?
As part of this important regional effort, the USF wants to ensure that
more children have the opportunity to play soccer. This means identifying the youth who want to play but face some obstacle to participating
(transportation, money for fees or uniforms, etc.). We want to break down
the obstacles. The USF will set aside $300,000 to endow a program of
regional outreach and assistance for community youth. This special program
will be self-supporting via interest income from the endowment's principle.
When will the fields be finished?
Portage Community Soccer Complex - Fall 2001
Prairie View Park - Fall 2002
River Oaks Park - Fall 2003
How will the $3.8 million be raised for these projects?
The United Soccer Foundation is raising monies from foundations,
corporations, municipalities, individuals, player fees for field
development, and support from the Portage Soccer Tournament. Already, the
United States Soccer Foundation has awarded the USF a $140,000 grant (the
highest amount awarded because of USF's unique collaboration) and
encouraged the USF to apply for another grant of equal value for 2001. Additionally, local Kalamazoo businesses have indicated their willingness to support this effort through contributions. Field development fees totaling $1 million over 10 years have been pledged by member organizations. Individual families will also have opportunities to participate in this project by making personal gifts.
If my family supports the USF campaign, is our gift tax deductible?
Yes! All gifts to the USF campaign are tax deductible.
Will employers offer matching funds for this campaign?
Every corporate matching gift program is different; the USF is a non-profit
organization working with youth programming. If you work for a matching
gift company, pick up the paper work, fill it out, and send it in.
Who is The Owen Group, Ltd. and how are they involved in this effort?
When the USF formed, its Board realized that it (as volunteers) had neither
the time, nor expertise needed to coordinate this ambitious fund raising
effort. As a result, the USF chose to hire an organization to assist with
campaign pre-planning and organization, grant writing, marketing, and fund
raising. The Owen Group, based in Kalamazoo, is acting as our "staff"
taking care of day-to-day management tasks. They work hand-in-hand with USF
leadership to make the campaign happen.
What if I have more questions?
Please contact The Owen Group at 616.383.0515. We welcome your input and look forward to hearing from
you!
Coming Soon:
The official USF home page...Stay tuned for more information!
