THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, December 27, 1995 TAG: 9512230169
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 12 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BILL REED, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 59 lines
Construction on 18 youth soccer fields at Princess Anne Park should start this week.
A contract was signed recently with E.V. Williams Co. of Chesapeake to begin site work on the project, said Michael Barrett, president of the Hampton Roads Soccer Council, which is sponsoring the project.
Completion is expected in July.
``We're pleased to announce that sufficient funds have been raised to let the contract,'' Barrett said. E.V. Williams is working on a city drainage project in Bow Creek and plans to use the resulting fill on the soccer complex, he said, adding, ``Because of that they were able to sharpen their pencils and give us a good deal on the work.''
Once the site work is completed, the soccer council will proceed with seeding and irrigation work.
Improvements will include building an administration building to house food concessions, offices and maintenance equipment.
Meanwhile, the city is finishing work on the extension of Recreation Drive, leading to the 73-acre soccer complex off Princess Anne Road.
Barrett hopes to have the fields finished and ready for the soccer council's annual Columbus Day tournament in October. The event attracts upward of 200 teams from across the Eastern Seaboard.
The soccer council so far has raised $1 million in cash and in-kind contributions toward the completion of the complex, Barrett said. Donations may be made to the Hampton Roads Soccer Council through the Virginia Beach Foundation.
The soccer complex plan was approved by the City Council in 1993. The soccer organization is leasing the site for $1 a year for 20 years with two 10-year options, effectively tying up the land for 40 years.
In return, the soccer council has promised to complete about $2.5 million in improvements to the property.
A fund-raising campaign got under way and will continue until the complex is finished.
Initially, plans for the soccer complex included a $1.5 million stadium for tournament play.
Plans changed and the soccer council was able to convince the Virginia Beach School Board to build a tournament-caliber soccer stadium at Ocean Lakes High School. The stadium would be used by soccer council teams, when not used by the school.
Across town at Princess Anne Park, the lease agreement with the city requires the soccer group to stage at least four major tournaments a year.
In addition to the highly successful Columbus Day Soccer tournament early in October, local soccer organizers sponsor a Hampton Roads Girls Soccer Association tournament, which will field 120 teams in the second week of November. The group also hosts the Atlantic Labor Day soccer tournament in September. by CNB