Plans for upgrades to the DeBauge Soccer Complex, discussed at length over the past year, are nearing the end of the development phase.
That was according to a recent update from Emporia Rec Director Amanda Gutierrez on KVOE’s Talk of Emporia Tuesday. She tells KVOE News, BG Consultants is currently working on the designs that will include a single turf field, new maintenance building, restroom, concessions and updated parking.
This is a scaled-down version of what the ERC, City of Emporia and Emporia Recreation Commission had been discussing before the commissioning of designs, which originally included multiple turf fields, among other additions. However, with the City of Emporia only receiving a portion of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding it was seeking last year — $750,000 of $1.5 million — Gutierrez says the entities involved are trying to get the best bang for their buck with the funds they do have, $3.75 million to be exact.
With that said, Gutierrez notes BG is developing designs that factor in more than just the present.
Gutierrez says the project should be ready to go out to bid by mid-June, with current hopes of seeing ground work beginning on the complex by the upcoming fall; however, no exact schedule has been set as of yet.
Plans for the DeBauge improvements have drawn some criticism from community members, with some arguing it is not a necessary project. When asked her response to this criticism, Gutierrez noted that it is a project that will serve a wide range of community members, noting soccer is one of the most popular sports in the community, regardless of age.
Additionally, Gutierrez notes the fields will have more than one purpose once they are completed, noting it is a “multiuse” facility.
Another factor in why this is a worthwhile project, in Gutierrez’s opinion, is the cost of maintaining the facility in its current form.
As KVOE News has reported, in addition to the $750,000 in CDBG funds, Stormont Vail Health and the ERC are both contributing $1.5 million to the project. Back in January, KVOE News was told by city leadership that it was also exploring other potential funding avenues, namely submitting grant applications to the Jones Testamentary Trust to help fund future phases of the project.
There is currently no word on whether those efforts have borne fruit.
