Day: January 15, 2013

By CRAIG MURPHY Of the Keizertimes If a proposed 25-field soccer facility is built just northeast of city limits, youth in Keizer would be able to use it. That was one of several answers provided by organizers with the non-profit 25 fields for Oregon at Tuesday night’s Keizer Parks and Recreation Advisory Board meeting at Keizer Civic Center. Carrie Cool, executive director of 25 fields for Oregon, spoke along with Ken Sandblast and Paul Wild. The group hopes to open the 130-acre facility across I-5 from Volcanoes Stadium in early 2014. “This all started about three years ago,” Cool said. “It’s all about bringing money to youth sports. We will build across the interstate a 25-soccer field complex, with more ground in the future around the state.” Cool acknowledged there is still a legislative process to go through and fundraising. Sandblast noted the non-profit nature of the organization makes it unique for such a project. “It’s never been done this way before across the country,” Sandblast said. Wild said the hope is to get some grants to help out. “Proceeds would be distributed first to this area, then around the state,” Wild said. Since the idea was first publicized in the Keizertimes last month, several questions have been raised. One of the key questions has been the availability of the fields to local youth, as several soccer fields are...