Somerton seeks $500K for new soccer fields

SOMERTON – The city wants to create two soccer fields at a park on Somerton’s west side to serve residents.

The city will seek $500,000 in American Recovery Act funds to pay for the fields at Perricone Park. The Somerton City Council voted unanimously recently to approve a resolution authorizing the city Parks and Recreation Department to apply to Arizona State Parks & Trails for the money.

The money would pay for most of the cost of two fields with stadium lights and bathrooms at the park located along Cesar Chavez Avenue and north of Main Street.

Rodney Rinehart, the interim parks and recreation director, said the total estimated cost of the fields is $700,000, meaning the city would have to contribute $200,000 of its own money to the project.

Somerton City Councilman Jesus Roldan said the fields would help mitigate a shortage of athletic fields in Somerton.

“This is a good project, it will help a lot in alleviating that problem of having enough fields to play soccer,” he said. “Putting in these fields is a good idea.”

The plan to add the fields comes as city officials foresee a surge in residential growth on the west side owing, in part, to construction of a new high school and new elementary school in that area.