Marion County officials held a groundbreaking ceremony at a local sports complex this week to kick off the beginning of several upgrades, including a new pavilion, a new paved parking lot, and new synthetic turf.
Marion County Parks and Recreation officials, local politicians, and local business leaders hosted a groundbreaking ceremony at the Rotary Sportsplex in Ocala on Friday.
The project calls for several upgrades to the facility, including the conversion of two soccer fields from grass to synthetic turn.
The conversion will make the Rotary Sportsplex the first public park in Marion County using synthetic turf, according to the county.
“This project has already generated incredible excitement, even before construction has begun,” said Jim Couillard, director of Marion County Parks and Recreation. “This really is a game-changer for our community.”
In addition to the turf upgrade, the sports complex will receive a new, paved parking lot, a new pavilion, stadium bleachers with shade structures, new field lights, and several other facility enhancements.
Funding for the project came from the county’s Tourism Development Council.
The county says the new project will expand the availability of sport fields and improve player safety while reducing environmental impacts and lowering operating costs.
The Ocala Rotary Sportsplex is an 80-acre facility located at 5220 SE Maricamp Road in Ocala. Established in 1997, the multi-acre facility offers 16 fields and is home to several local sports organizations.