East Ridge Moving Ahead With New Camp Jordan Soccer Fields Despite Neighbors' Objections
Saturday, December 12, 2020 - by Gail Perry
The East Ridge City Council meeting was dominated by concerns about the expansion of soccer fields that are under construction in Camp Jordan Park. Assistant City Manager Kenny Custer told the commissioners and residents that came to the meeting in opposition to the project that in the early 2000’s the original concept for that part of the park was to create a regional soccer complex because the location is easily accessible. Drawings were done at that time.
City Manager Chris Dorsey gave the timeline that led up to the construction in response to citizens' concerns that the area is too close to their homes that back up to it. He said that the city had acquired the land in question for these fields in 1992 for recreational use. It is not a passive park, he said. The first plans for 13-14 fields were laid out in 2001. In 2005 another small strip of land was purchased when a conceptual plan was created that shows the whole park and fields. In 2019 there was a map showing the fields there and in January 2019 a Request for Qualification was issued. From January until August last year the council made an agreement for the site design and sent the project out to bid which was approved in September when financing was authorized for the field construction.