A Sportsplex is possible for the City of Milton.
Last year, the citizens of Milton were asked to share their input into utilizing a 30 plus acre piece of property located near the GuyThompsonCommunity Center. With public input, the city recently received a concept layout of the Sportsplex which would include walking and biking paths, additional sports fields, volleyball courts along with an expansion of a community center.
City officials plan to present the concept at a future public meeting in order to receive further participation. One of the main issues brought in the initial meeting was expansion of the indoor facility.
“The biggest thing they wanted was more community center space,” City Manager Brian Watkins said. “That was what surprised us.”
Watkins and other officials anticipated the citizens would focus on adding more outdoor ball fields.
In addition to having more larger meeting rooms, residents suggested adding a larger gymnasium, according to Parks and Recreation Director John Norton.
The initial concept would also add changes to the ball fields by adding two more baseball fields, two softball fields and two fields which would allow for both football, soccer or even lacrosse.
“We concentrate a lot on football up there, but one of the growing sports that is going to be on us whether we like it or not is going to be lacrosse,” Norton said. “We would be building the fields large enough so we can look to the future…and lacrosse is going to be something we need.”
The city recently hosted a lacrosse tournament which was held at the facility’s current football fields.
The layout also features a open space which could be utilized for future outdoor sports tournament or other activities such as community festivals.
Watkins said the concept, drafted by a local engineering and architecture design firms, allows the potential Sportsplex to have something for each demographic in the area, from seniors to youth and young families.
“I think when people look at it, they are going to be pretty happy with it,” he said.
While the layout is only a concept at this time and far from finalized, the other objective is funding the Sportsplex should it finalized and approved.
“Always the bottom line is how are we going to fund it,” Watkins said.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Concept for Milton Sportsplex may soon be presented to citizens