Jonesville Park
Fields
of Dreams: Frequently
Asked Questions
Where is the proposed field located?
What are the plans for this site?
The
30 acre Jonesville Fields of Dreams, once developed,
will offer six tournament sized soccer fields near the
intersection of CR 241 and NW 32nd Avenue
in the Jonesville Newberry area. There will also
be parking and a space for registration, awards ceremonies,
concessions, restrooms and the like. The development
of these soccer fields provides the capacity to host
major soccer tournaments and to provide large-scale access
for instructional training, camps, and jamborees. This
additional capacity will also make it possible to accommodate
constituent leagues and clubs in need of sites for their
programs, as well as adult play and programs from neighboring
counties. Bordering the fenced soccer fields will be
warm-up grass fields--which will provide places to picnic
and simply to unwind and cool off after a hard match.
Click
here for directions/map.
Why
can’t
the soccer parents fund the fields themselves?
Typical
costs for a family of 4 to travel to a weekend tournament
averages $400 for gas, hotel, food, and entertainment.
At 10 -12 tournaments a year, many soccer families are
already footing a hefty share of the soccer expenses. Our
money is going directly into other communities who host
tournaments! We can make competitive soccer more
affordable for families by reducing some of the financial
impact of having to travel to out of town tournaments.
Does Alachua County lack adequate
soccer fields to play, practice and compete on?
Alachua
County is home to some 3,500 registered soccer-crazed
youth players and parents. And the number continues
to grow. Over the past ten years, these kids' clubs,
city teams, and select leagues have outgrown the current
number of practice and playing fields in their urge to
play and compete.
Youth
Soccer can’t grow unless
the fields get developed.
The
half cent Recreation Tax was barely defeated in November.
The $500,000 loan that the Gainesville Soccer Alliance
is seeking, combined with the $300,000 grant the County
Parks Dept. has received, will enable 6 new soccer fields
to be developed.
Okay, Soccer is Great for Kids, but
what does it do for the Community?
What
does a youth soccer tournament generate financially? Each
44 team weekend tournament brings in an estimated quarter
of a million dollars to the community. Within
a 7 mile circumference of the proposed soccer fields
are hotels, restaurants, convenience stores/gas stations,
and grocery stores—all of which will directly benefit
from developing the 30 acre Jonesville Site. Bottom line? Soccer generates
money for businesses.
Will
these soccer fields be available to the public?
The
Jonesville Park will be a public/private recreational
complex serving both the Jonesville area and the entire
county. The public can use the complex, but the
fields will be scheduled for coordinated usage.
Please
make donation checks out to “GSA”
PO
Box 14685 Gainesville, FL 32604
Tax
ID #: 22-3885781
Website: http://gainesvillesoccer.org
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