Ribbon Cutting Ceremony For Soccer Complex Friday
Thursday, December 1st, 2022
The new soccer complex at Heritage Point has already been in use for several weeks, but on Friday it will become official. There will be a ribbon cutting ceremony Friday, December 2nd at 4:00 pm to open the Northeast Community Soccer Complex.
The new complex located on Hale Bowen Road near Park Creek Elementary features two FIFA-regulation sized turf fields which are also striped to be used as four smaller fields for youth games. Until recently, there were no FIFA-regulation fields in Whitfield County depsite the area being home to some of the state's best soccer players. Indeed, Dalton has become known as Soccertown USA thanks to the recent state championship successes of teams from Dalton High, Dalton Academy, Southeast and Northwest Whitfield, and Coahulla Creek. Now with the completion of the Heritage Point complex and the new Dalton Stadium and Whitfield County's Riverbend Park field, there are four FIFA fields in the county.
Caption: The Dalton Parks and Recreation Department logo is painted at midfield on one of two FIFA-regulation soccer fields at the new Northeast Community Soccer Complex at Heritage Point
"This has presented more programming opportunities for the department to offer to the community," said Parks and Recreation Department director Caitlin Sharpe. "We can now properly accommodate adult leagues and other users needing FIFA-size fields. This complex has also allowed us to increase our soccer programs. We’re now able to accommodate a fall and spring season by adding this complex to our parks system. This coming spring will be our first time offering a spring youth soccer season."
"I also have to include that this is a beautiful complex that we are so proud to offer to our community," Sharpe added.
The work to clear the site for the new fields began earlier this year, and a ground breaking ceremony was held in early March before work began in earnest on the construction of the fields themselves. Most of the work on the complex was completed in September and the facility was able to begin hosting tournaments as the finishing touches were being applied. Some of that work continues, including the installation of more landscaping features earlier this week by the Dalton Public Works Department.
"This was the first project I was made aware of when I started the job almost a year ago. I have learned so much through the process. It’s amazing to see the project stages progress and to witness the complex come to life," Sharpe said. "I’ve been very lucky to be able to lean heavily on the City’s Public Works Director Chad Townsend and Public Works Project Manager Jackson Sheppard to help push this project in the right direction. Their knowledge and skills have truly been a major part of the success of the construction process. We, Parks and Recreation Department, are fortunate to have a Public Works Department willing to help with any recreation project thrown their way."
"It is VERY cool to see the finished product!" Sharpe concluded.
Caption: Parks and Recreation director Caitlin Sharpe
The public is invited to attend the ribbon cutting ceremony to see the finished product for themselves on Friday afternoon. Light refreshments will be served.
