By SUE SUCHYTA
Sunday Times Newspapers
MELVINDALE – The city council approved a presentation by Ray Parker of Hennessey Engineering to create a soccer field at Lankford Park, with expenses not to exceed $100,000.
The work will include tree removal, field leveling, soil fill, seeding, parking lot curb cutting and apron cement.
Hamdan Harhara of the Melvindale Soccer Club was present as well.
Parker said a larger field would involve cost to change the location of the walking pathway, whereas a smaller field, running east to west, would not require modifications to the pathway.
He said tree removal also involves stump removal and grading the area as well.
Parking lot work would need to be included under a separate allocation.
City Official Rich Ortiz said the work on the parking lot at DeLuca Field came from grant money.
City Council President Saleim Abuali suggested funding the soccer field work for now, and improving the parking conditions at Lankford Park when grant or other funding becomes available.
Parker said if two smaller soccer fields were being used at once, with parents and coaches, about 100 parking spots would be needed.
He said right now about 75 parking spots are available, and some soccer players are dropped off without an adult parking and staying onsite, and while the lot isn’t striped, at least it is off street and isn’t impinging upon the nearby neighborhood.
Councilmember Dawn Cartrette said that there is flat property without trees that belongs to the city near Northpointe condominiums.
Mayor Nicole Shkira said that land was not an option for a soccer field because the city is trying to sell it.
Cartrette said the property by Northpointe that backs up to the school would be a good location for a soccer field.
She said the youth football field was developed on land provided by the city, but the parent organization raised money for field improvements.
Cartrette said the city should give the soccer club a field on which to practice, with the group renting a field from the school district for games.
She said that the number of players in a league, whether football or soccer, should all be treated fairly by the city.
Harara said if the city provides them with a field they can play on, “they will take it from there.”
Cartrette said she thinks there are better options for a soccer field that were not considered.
Councilmember Wheeler Marsee said the soccer field plans should have been included in the city’s five-year plan, which makes the project more likely to obtain grant funding.
Harara said the club’s goal is to simply have a practice field.