BERKELEY — Let the games begin.
Five years ago, a handful of East Bay cities and the East Bay Regional Park District came together with a pledge to build five new sports fields at the foot of Gilman Street in Berkeley.
On Saturday, the leaders of those cities and other politicians will cut the ribbon at the new $7 million sports complex that will host 17,000 soccer, rugby, lacrosse, baseball and softball players each year.
“Youth soccer is desperate for more fields. Not only are the new facilities great, but they also help to take the pressure off our existing fields, improving the athletic experience for thousands of children in the region,” said Steven Morrison, general manager of the Albany-Berkeley Soccer Club.
The grand opening of the sports complex will be celebrated by elected officials, community leaders and sports enthusiasts at 10:30 a.m. Saturday.
The five East Bay cities entered into a joint powers agreement in late 2003 to develop a regional sports complex at the intersection of Interstate 80 and Gilman Street in northwest Berkeley. The property was acquired by the park district through a variety of funding.
On Saturday, speakers will include master of ceremonies and park district General Manager Pat O’Brien; Assemblymember Loni Hancock, D-Berkeley; Albany Mayor Robert Lieber; Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates; El Cerrito Mayor William C. Jones; Emeryville Mayor Ken Bukowski; Richmond Mayor Gayle McLaughlin; a representative from California State Parks; park district board member Nancy Skinner; and sports and environmental leaders.
Officially named the Tom Bates Regional Sports Facility, the complex will include two lighted synthetic fields, built to accommodate soccer, rugby and lacrosse, and three nonlighted grass fields that can be used for baseball. Those will be ready for play in spring 2009.
The infields on the grass fields will be completed when funds become available, said Julie Sinai, Bates’ chief of staff.
Some of the fields opened in August.
“Within the last couple weeks, they started having kids practice on them,” she said.
The complex replaces a site that was used for overflow parking for events such as the Berkeley Kite Festival and by Golden Gate Fields employees. The fields are located in, and will be leased by, the city of Berkeley, but will be regionally accessible.
“The park district is committed to encouraging youths to be active outdoors, and so is quite pleased to work with the city of Berkeley on such a greatly needed sports facility,” O’Brien said.
The project includes a grass strip on the west side of the fields that will filter all stormwater runoff from the synthetic turf fields of urban contaminants and particulates before it drains into the Bay.
Synthetic turf fields do not require water or mowing, which uses fuel, drastically reduce the carbon footprint of the fields.
Grey water pipes will allow the grass fields to be watered with reclaimed grey water as soon as East Bay Municipal Utility District makes that service available.
The grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place on the north synthetic turf field from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday at 400 Gilman St.
http://www.insidebayarea.com/oaklandtribune/localnews/ci_10383413
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