Image provided by: Clackamas Community College; Oregon City, OR
About The print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1977-1989 | View Entire Issue (April 8, 1981)
sports Complex to supply needed sport area By Sue Hanneman Of The Print “It’s been a struggle all the way, every way we go,’’ stated Red Soils Youth Complex co creator Jim Tucker, in reference to the three-year bat tle to acquire land for use as a recreation area for the youth of Clackamas County. But the end of the struggle is now in sight with groundbreak ing on the 20-acre site an estimated two weeks away, and a completion date targeted for 1982. The community- sponsored, $325,000 complex is planned to meet the ever in will contain six ball parks (four major fields and two minor ones), and four full-sized soc cer fields. The fields are to re main open and in operation year round, starting with baseball and softball, followed by soccer. The large land area owned by the county includes about 100 acres, 20 of which have been leased on a'year-to-year basis to the junior baseball organization for $1 annually, for the recreational use. The land was not previously being used, and no immediate use was planned. The Cinderella overhaul from an unproductive plot of land into playing fields ‘Until the ground’s broken, the peo ple aren’t going to believe it.’ creasing demand for youth recreation programs. Due to the ever expanding participation in youth-oriented programs throughout the coun ty, the youth complex is being created to provide recreational facilities with aims to promote sound athletic programs for the area’s youth. The site is located next to the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Department complex between Molalla Avenue and Kaen Road, just off of Warner Milne Road. As now planned, the site should have no outstanding or negative effect on the area, ac cording to project organizers. It will, however, provide precious recreational space to keep up with the growing de mand of the public. “We now have only eight fields available for practice and games,’’ stated Jim Tucker, who is the co creator and 'member of the Committee for Youth Sports. “We have an extreme need for the use of these new fields,” he added, pointing out the 50 to 70 teams which will be involv ed with the site after comple- Women's Basketball Awards , All League Selections Second Team Jamie Hill Third Team Cindi Johnston Honorable Mention Lou Ann Garvin . Team Honors Most Valuable Player Jamie Hill Cindi Johnston Most Inspirational Carolyn Raimondi Best Offensive Player Lou Ann Garvin Best Defensive Player Angel Humphrey Most Improved Carolyn Raimondi Page 6 tion. “All have a need for organized, laid out fields.” According to Doris Hill, pro ject coordinator, the fields will serve large numbers throughout the community. “With the 50 teams that will be using the fields, the average participants involved at one time will include 5,000 parents and 2,800 youths.” Hill’s point of view runs closely with Tucker’s, as she echoes his words by saying, “The growth is so tremendous in this area, we have a dire need for the fields.” Currently, youth teams play on eight fields scattered throughout Oregon City, in cluding Kelly Field, local school fields and Clackamas Com munity College. But the pat chwork arrangement cannot keep pace with the exploding public demand, especially when local budgets are suffer ing cutbacks. Hill believes the new fields are essential, especially now with the budget cuts. “There -are not parks or recreation areas other than the Oregon City pool this year because of the budget cutback,” she said. Indeed, many believe that ad ditional fields can and will be an investment for the youth of Clackamas County. Paul Fiskum, community recreation supervisor at the College, is the person in charge of scheduling the field usage as well as other recreational ac tivities for the College. Fiskum, paying special attention to the campus softball fields which are scheduled six days per week from. May through August, ,wrote in the 1980 Community Recreation Annual Report, “The recreation facilities con tinued to receive maximum utilization during the past fiscal year.' While the number of Stqff photo by Sue Hanneman facilty use requests forms pro ceptional recreational area t( cessed are virtually the same, a serve thousands of people yea greater number of requests had round. to be denied this year than “This is just a tremendous last.” project, and I think that th Until the Red Soils Youth more people who are aware d Complex is completed, existing this, the. more they will becomi fieldswill remain overcrowded. involved,” beamed Hill. To help combat this, the recreation director fo the city of Indeed, the struggle and Oregon City, Les Packalak, hard work are paying off for all has had to place an 80 percent those involved with the youth residence requirement on the project, since the project is adult softball teams, restricting months ahead of schedule and further the persons allowed to proceeding well. “I’m pleaset participate. The baseball and that we are four months aheai girls softball teams have had to at this point,” added Hill. “Yd restrict the number of players could not have done this thra they can serve because of the years ago. It just seems to b number of fields available for the right time.” b their use. With the actual ground After establishing the need breaking in sight, David Steel and worth of such a complex to be built, co-creators Jim Tucker summed up his feelings on th subject after four to five yeai and David Steele-have been of planning and work by sai faced with the burden of fun ing, “It will sink in when tf ding the project. Steele stress ground’s broken! Until th ed, “The whole project is to be ground’s broken, the peop funded entirely by donations aren’t going to believe it.” from the people throughout the community,” including spon sors in rhe business area, and fund-raising., projects such as dances and b^er gardens that are organized py Doris Hill. Fund-raisers are stillbeinq held in an effort to reach the estimated $325,000. The project is a non-profit package, established, say it&x creators, for the benefit of thousands of various aged children, as well as for the com munity at large. Much time, manpower, equipment and money have been donated by the city, local schools, clubs, organizations and the National Guard of ficials to construct the complex. The complex so far has func tioned on the total volunteer ef fort directed with aims in pro viding the county with an ex- Located at Upper Entrance w Elevator Clackamas Community Colle