Mayor Martin J. Walsh and the Boston Parks and Recreation Department will celebrate the opening of the new state-of-the-art soccer field at LoPresti Park in East Boston with a ribbon cutting celebration at noon on Tuesday, July 22.
The opening marks the completion of the first phase of a $1.1 million project at the park located at 33 Sumner St. The design budget was $150,000 and the construction budget was $700,000 funded by the City’s Capital Improvement Plan and $450,000 in turf and lighting donated by the U.S. Soccer Foundation.
The completed Phase 1 portion of project includes the installation of an artificial turf soccer field valued at $400,000 donated by the U.S. Soccer Foundation, as well as sports lighting for the field valued at $50,000.
The City of Boston’s portion of construction included site preparation for the artificial turf field including field drainage, improved site drainage, new electrical service for the sports lighting, relocation of the existing granite site walls to accommodate the field, and a temporary walkway.
Phase 2 construction is funded by the City’s Capital Improvement Program and a PARC grant from the state. Phase 2 will include two new basketball courts with sports lighting, a half basketball court, a spray play area, a new primary entrance, site furnishings, fencing, pedestrian lighting and planting.
Construction is scheduled to be completed in June 2015.
America SCORES Boston is proud to be partnering with the U.S. Soccer Foundation to bring its Soccer for Success program to Boston youth. The opening celebration at LoPresti will feature a Soccer for Success demonstration with current players and alumni. Soccer for Success is the U.S. Soccer Foundation’s free afterschool program that uses soccer as a tool to address children’s health issues and juvenile delinquency, while promoting healthy lifestyles in urban underserved communities.
The July 22 ribbon cutting celebration will include refreshments provided by H.P. Hood LLC, the official dairy sponsor for the Boston Parks and Recreation Department’s 2014 park openings.