New fields for Poland youths to get their kicks
By Denise Dick
About 950 children and teens play in the Poland Youth Soccer Association.
POLAND — After years of waiting, teams from the Poland Youth Soccer Association will play their games on new fields in a township park beginning today.
“We’ve been working on this for about 10 years — a lot longer than I’ve been here,” said Ken Conzett, association president.
For many years, the association of about 950 kids — ages 5 through high school — have played on the fields behind Poland Seminary High School, he said.
“The school system has been extremely good to us,” he said. “But over the years, there’s just been less and less room for us.”
In 2001, the township worked out a deal with BFI, now Allied Waste, for the park property, spanning about 87 acres, at Cowden and Moore roads. The company owns the land. Work to ready the property for use took several years.
“We were trying to do everything with donations,” said Mark Naples, township trustee chairman. “When you try to do something with donations, it takes a long time.”
Around 2000, representatives of the soccer association approached the township about a need for space to play. When the park land became available, it was a logical choice, Naples said.
But the park is open to everyone. It includes walking trails, and associations representing softball and baseball groups also have expressed interest in developing fields there. Plans also call for playground equipment.
The township relied on a park advisory board, led by Mike Heher of Allied Waste, in developing the park, Naples said.
He said the township’s agreement with the soccer group requires the group to carry liability insurance for the fields. They also will maintain them and any improvements must be approved by the township and funded by the association, he said.
The township is leasing the park property from Allied Waste for $1 per year. The arrangement is part of the agreement for the company to operate its landfill on South State Line Road in the township.
The lease is effective for up to 99 years or for as long as the company must continue environmental testing on the park property, which is adjacent to the landfill. Then the parcel transfers to the township.
The company will pay the property taxes on the property through the lease agreement’s duration, township and landfill officials have said.
Trustee Robert Lidle said he’s glad the park is ready for people to use.
“I would just ask for everyone’s understanding — it’s a work in progress,” he said. “It didn’t cost the taxpayers one penny.”
Several community groups, including Eagle scouts and soccer and flag football associations, donated work to prepare the park. Essroc Co. also donated stone and slag for parking lots.
“Most of the work was done by community groups that donated their time,” said James Scharville, township administrator.