Officials Develop Plans for Two Spectacular Athletic Facilities
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A new 80‚000-square-foot arena and a spacious park for soccer and other outdoor sports are being designed to serve the needs of area residents while luring more visitors and events to Martinsville.
The new facilities are made possible by a $20 million grant from The Harvest Foundation‚ established in 2002 with proceeds from the sale of the once publicly owned Memorial Hospital.
“The $16 million arena will be multi purpose‚” says Dennis Toney‚ executive director of the Southern Virginia Recre ation Facilities Authority. “We can use it for sporting events‚ as well as for a place to do concerts‚ high school graduations‚ conventions and conferences.”
The arena is going in on a 2.5-acre city-owned lot in Uptown Martinsville at the corner of Fayette and Market streets‚ near the Farmers Market. Com pletion of the arena project has been slated tentatively for late 2009.
Plans call for basketball courts‚ volleyball courts and an indoor soccer field alongside the multipurpose arena. The project also includes 7‚500 square feet of fitness space‚ with a one-eighth mile elevated walking track.
“Right now we are in the planning and design phase‚” Toney adds.
With room for up to 4‚500 perma nent seats‚ the arena would be a natural choice for regional playoffs between bas ket ball or volleyball teams‚ Toney says.
“We will start with small events‚ but we hope to eventually host an NCAA conference championship‚” he adds.
Meanwhile‚ the soccer complex will feature five or more full-sized soccer fields on 91 acres near the intersection of U.S. Highway 58 and Irisburg Road.
“It’s going to be a facility that the community can use and where we can also bring in club teams or youth leagues‚” Toney says. “There will be the potential of housing lacrosse or even football if there was a need. Other outdoor events for the community could be done there‚ too.”
Spaces for a public park and walking trails are included in the soccer complex plans‚ says Toney‚ who came to work at the Southern Virginia Recreation Facil ities Authority in June 2007. The SVRFA was created by the city and county governments to oversee the facilities’ construction and administration.
The initial cost estimate for the soccer complex is $4 million‚ with the project tentatively slated for completion by fall 2008 or spring 2009. After the arena and soccer complex are up and running‚ usage fees are expected to cover operating costs and perhaps even generate a profit for the community‚ Toney adds.
Spending by athletes and fans who come into the area for events at the arena and soccer complex will be another boon for the city.
“It will be a way to revive some of the activities downtown and bring people in to support community businesses‚ such as restaurants‚ shops and lodging‚” Toney says.
Story by Renee Elder
Photo by Ian Curcio
