City is moving on soccer fields

Regarding Aryza Olague's letter to the editor of Nov. 29, the city of Yuma would like Aryza and other young soccer players to know that regulation soccer fields are in fact coming.

Land located on the north side of 24th Street between Avenue B and Avenue C will soon transform into the new Yuma Valley Area Park, which will include four regulation-size soccer fields, two of which will be lighted for evening play.

Work to create the Yuma Valley Area Park will begin in late spring 2013 and will be phased over time.

The city of Yuma Parks and Recreation Department has long recognized that soccer is one of Yuma's most popular sports. When the citizens of Yuma voted to renew the hospitality tax, a soccer park was one of the projects the city began to create.

Yuma residents were very much a part of the planning process for this park. The city sought public comments for the development of the Yuma Valley Area Park in October 2011. We then presented options for designs at an open house at Pueblo Elementary School where 175 people — a large total for this type of event — attended and provided feedback. We included priorities established from that feedback in the conceptual design.

Parks and Recreation has received grants to support lighting for two soccer fields and irrigation for the park as well as a grant for the playground unit. When the time comes to install the playground unit, we will encourage volunteers to assist us. I hope Aryza will join us as one of the enthusiastic volunteers.

Becky Chavez

Director, City of Yuma

Parks and Recreation