The first of three phases of the Gadsden Sports Park upgrades and expansions has officially been declared open. The dedication of the newest expansion to the park came through a ribbon cutting held Tuesday by city officials and developers.
“It’s been a three-year design process that has turned into a series of phased projects,” said Frankie Davis, the city’s director of economic development.
Davis said plans for the sports park began around that time because of “the opportunity for economic development projects” that officials believed would ultimately benefit the community.
“These projects are pay as you go using taxpayers’ money, which allows us to have no debt at this time,” he said.
This first phase includes three new soccer fields, two pavilions equipped with concession stands, seating areas with ceiling fans and bathrooms, additional parking and a nature trail complete with a lake.
Phase 2 of the project is currently under construction and will feature new baseball and softball fields to align with the city’s partnership with Gadsden State Community College. The college’s revived baseball and softball teams will play on these new fields at the start of the 2023-2024 seasons.
“We are so grateful that we are able to start our softball team on one of these fields,” explained GSCC President Dr. Kathy Murphy. “Today is a perfect example of showing what we can do and accomplish together. We had the property, the city had a dream, and we wanted to serve our young people in this way, and we need to celebrate that today.”
“The city has had a longstanding partnership with Gadsden State, especially for these youth fields and the football teams,” added Davis. “We secured a lease for this property so we could create a modern, high-quality sports park that would benefit everyone.”
The third phase for the sports park is currently in the design process and is said to include a “master combination” of a soccer, baseball and softball field that will accommodate special needs programs and families.
Davis added that “at the request” of both Murphy and Gadsden City Councilman Kent Back, four pickleball courts would also be built.
Murphy said she would like to see the addition of tennis courts on the right side of the complex. “I believe this will be presented to the council soon for final approval,” Davis said.
Back said, “We’ve dreamed of this for a long time. It’s your money that you see out here, and it’s being used to help improve the future of our youth and community for years to come.”
Several city officials also made comments to celebrate the opening of the soccer fields, with Davis citing the City Council and Gadsden Mayor Sherman Guyton’s dedication to the sports complex and their desire to see the park grow and succeed.
“Over the last several years, we’ve noticed how much bigger soccer has become in the area,” Guyton said. “It’s going to be a really big thing, especially for our area, and (I) say a special thank you to everything that made it possible today.”
“At first I wasn’t in this park because I thought we should help him in Rainbow City,” added Councilman Thomas Worthy. “I came to understand that as the process went on and now I stand behind it 100%.”
City and GSCC officials will be joined by the Unicorns, a girls team from the Etowah Youth Soccer Association, who will use the fields for their practices and games.
“We have teams that come as far as the Fairhope and Daphne area to play on these fields and we’re packed out here every weekend to play football,” head coach Bill Martin said. “This is just a glimpse of what our overall program is, and it’s been needed for a very long time.”
