Jasper Park Board shows support for new soccer complex

The Jasper Parks and Recreation Board unanimously approved a recommendation to establish a restricted fund to develop a new soccer complex in the city.

Mike Jones and Lawrence Loner, who referee soccer, approached the board during the March meeting to request the creation of a fund that would allow community members to donate money specifically earmarked for purchasing property and building new soccer facilities.

According to Jones, the current soccer fields at Schroeder Park are built on a former landfill site, creating ongoing safety and maintenance challenges that have persisted for more than 27 years. Referees and players encounter hazardous conditions during games and practices.

Jones described how he was refereeing a game there a few years ago and stepped into a hole about six inches deep. A week later, the hole was more than two feet deep, according to Jones.

These safety issues and the number of children involved in the program are why the group is advocating for a new complex.

“We’ve got a thousand kids” participating in soccer programs, Jones said during the presentation.

Jones further pointed out that increasing access to improved soccer facilities is among the city’s priorities.

Loner pointed out that the sport’s popularity could lead to a greater economic impact for Jasper if the facility is improved to include children and adult leagues.

The proposed fund would operate similarly to an existing restricted fund that the city maintains for the Arts Center, which was used to help pay for recent renovations. City officials confirmed that the fund would be established by ordinance and that donations would be restricted solely to soccer facility improvements.

City Attorney Renee Kabrick stated she had drafted an ordinance to create the new fund.

The fund represents a long-term approach to addressing the soccer facility shortage. Rather than seeking immediate city funding, the advocates plan to raise private donations over time until sufficient money accumulates to purchase land and develop new fields.

Moorman explained that there are no plans beyond the group’s fundraising efforts at this time. As those funds accumulate, the department and city would then begin to seriously consider undertaking the project.

If the funding doesn’t come together to create the complex, Kabrick said the ordinance she drafts would be broad enough to support the soccer program in other ways.

“We will raise the money,” Loner said. “We’re committed to raising it and making this work.”

The board’s approval represents a recommendation to the City Council, which must formally establish the fund through an ordinance. The fund would be administered by the city but dedicated exclusively to soccer facility development.