COOPER STADIUM CONSTRUCTION PROJECT 2010
DEDICATION CEREMONY -
The Springfield-Greene County Park Board and Lake Country Soccer will hold a dedication ceremony at 11 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 28 for a new Astroturf® synthetic soccer field surface, new lighting, and speaker system installation at the Greenwood Stadium Field of Cooper Sports Complex, 2601 E. Pythian St. Following the dedication, a Greenwood Laboratory School alumni game is planned to begin at Noon.
The Park Board, Lake Country Soccer and significant private funding from the McQueary Family and Cooper Family Foundation made the approximate $863,000 improvements possible. The field becomes the new home of Greenwood Laboratory School’s Bluejay’s soccer program.
The 400-foot by 260-foot installation is the first synthetic surface in the Park Board’s inventory of fields. The Astroturf® 3D-60 synthetic turf technology is made of polyethylene/nylon, which most replicates natural grass. Rubber infill is swept into the synthetic fibers, allowing for a uniform cushioned surface throughout the field. The new turf will allow for a significant reduction in carbon emissions due to regular maintenance of natural grass.
“The field surface opens a new window of opportunity for the Park Board and Lake Country Soccer,” said Parks Director Jodie Adams. “Not only will our soccer programs and leagues benefit from the year-round uniform surface and quick drainage caused by rains, but we now have the opportunity to bid on some of the larger state and national tournaments that require a field of this caliber. Springfield-Greene County is a leader in the Midwest with its outdoor and indoor soccer facilities, and this addition takes the amenities to the next level.”
The public-private partnership with non-profit Lake Country Soccer and its nine-member volunteer board allows for continued growth and development of soccer in southwest Missouri. There are 18 full-sized outdoor soccer fields, seven of which are lighted, and two indoor playing surfaces that make up the Cooper Sports Complex and Lake Country Soccer facility. The property is the largest indoor/outdoor soccer facility in the Midwest.
Lake Country also is hosting a tournament the weekend of the dedication. Thirty-five teams of nine-year olds through high school aged boys and girls will compete in the inaugural Founder’s Cup tournament. The games will run 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. both Saturday, Aug. 28 and Sunday, Aug. 29 on 12 fields, including the newly resurfaced stadium field. There is no cost to attend the tournament, which is open to the public.
For more information, contact: Miles Park, Superintendent of General Services, 417-864-1326; or Kelly Ross, Lake Country Soccer, 417-862-3211.
The Cooper Stadium Construction Project page will chronicle the conversion of the Stadium field to synthetic turf over the 2010 summer months. This information page will include background information related to how this project came to fruition and will include a pictorial progression of the project since breaking ground on June 16th. For more information on this project, please contact Kelly Ross via email; kelly@lakecountrysoccer.org
Where it began Click the "where it began" hyperlink to access the letter which briefly explains how this project kicked off years ago.
Photos included in the above video where shot on Wednesday, June 16th and Tuesday, June 22nd.
Slideshow of photos shot on various days during July 2010.
