Tuesday, April 27, 2010

A New Soccer Field and Info about Youth Sports in the Sloop

The weather is nice and that means people want to be outside. Recently we received two emails about the expansion of Ping Tom memorial park where they are putting in a soccer field:
It's almost finished getting ready for the season, thought you might wanna let the sloopers know the expansion of this park. Attached is a pic of the newly expanded soccer area (still fenced in, but almost there).

A nice addition to the Sloop.

With sporting fields in mind it also seems relevant to pass along some information about youth sports:
Just wanted to pass this info along--they need all the exposure they can get!

Near South Youth Association is a non-for-profit, community-based organization working to improve the quality of life for all families and children in Chicago's Near South. Visit http://www.nearsouthyouthassociation.com, http://www.nearsouthsoccer.com, and http://www.nearsouthlittleleague.com. Spring soccer is currently underway.

(Hat Tip: JC & Ps!)

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is a great addition.

However, I'm surprised that when a crime/mugging occurs in this area we get the "IMO, this isn't the Sloop." However, when a nice new park goes up, we get that this "is a great addition to the Sloop."

Anonymous said...

I'd consider this part of the South Loop. It's on the east side of the river and north of 18th. I appreciate the info as I'd been wondering what was going on there. It is a great addition; I just hope it doesn't suffer the same fate as the baseball field with flooding.

Anonymous said...

I didn't realize how much was planned for this park until I just went looking. I guess they didn't raise enough money for the Athletic complex, since this appears to be where the new soccer field is sitting.

http://www.pingtompark.org/Phase%20II%20Expansion_files/Ping%20Tom%20Memorial%20%20Park.pdf

Patrick said...

Why are there always so many cars parked here and why was there a camping tent there all weekend?

David Trang said...

It's nice to see that large area finally being put to good use. I never knew they were planning an athletic facility there too.

Unknown said...

I wish that Ping Tom Park architect could have incorporated some of the 100+ year old trees that they cut down last weekend. Its not like we can just grow new ones tomorrow. There was a beautiful forest trail that winded through the river front there that made it possible to forget you were in the City. I blame myself for not paying more attention to what they were doing there.

Anonymous said...

Actually, the Ping Tom plan was part was reactivated as part of the of the Central Area action plan in 2009. How that area get's money with it's low density compared to other areas of South Loop and Central Station is beyond me. It's a shame how rundown Chinatown is compared to other large cities...The thing that will hold it up on my opinion is the site is on the 3 corners of both Alderman Wards, and State Reps who will all have to agree...At the same time, will residents allow that much money to port out of the Near South TIF, yet Chinatown gets control of the facility. Look what that did for Ping Tom Phase I.

http://www.cityofchicago.org/content/dam/city/depts/zlup/Planning_and_Policy/Publications/Central_Area_Action_Plan_DRAFT/4_Design.pdf

http://www.cityofchicago.org/content/dam/city/depts/zlup/Planning_and_Policy/Publications/Central_Area_Action_Plan_DRAFT/CAAPRevisedIntro.pdf

Anonymous said...

I was also disappointed to see how many large trees were felled for the new clearing last weekend. Poor planning!

Unknown said...

The beautiful connonwood trees they took down was totally unecessary and unfortunate. What a waste!