PARKERSBURG, W.Va. -
Construction of the new Godbey Fields is under way and is expected to
be completed this fall, Acting Transportation Secretary and Commissioner
of Highways Sam Beverage announced today.
The new $6.5 million athletic
fields complex will be constructed on a 40-acre site at the northwest
corner of the intersection of Gihon Road and Cooper Street in Parkersburg
following an extensive search by the West Virginia Division of Highways
(DOH) and the Parkersburg community to relocate the complex.
"The construction of these
new athletic fields is the result of the Division of Highways partnering
with the Parkersburg community," Beverage said. "We were able to conduct
an extensive search for a new location of these fields through this cooperative
effort. Accessibility, convenience and environmental impact were all factors
that were considered before any site was acquired."
DOH representatives involved
with the Corridor D project focused their efforts on finding a suitable
replacement site for the athletic complex when the projected route of
the Appalachian Corridor indicated it would displace Godbey Fields.
"We wanted to do everything
we could to minimize the impact on the community," said Jim Colby, DOH
Environmental Project Manager. "We worked with the community to determine
its needs. It was real teamwork between the Division of Highways and the
community, and the result is a beautiful site for this new facility."
The new complex will accommodate
up to 150 teams that use Godbey Fields each year, and will include one
football field, eight baseball fields and five softball fields. The football
field and one softball field will be equipped with a press box, scoreboard
and lighting.
The complex will also include
six restroom facilities and one centrally located concession stand. A
paved interior access road will lead into a gravel parking area that will
accommodate approximately 300 vehicles.
The current Godbey Fields
facility has served a number of schools and area recreational leagues
since it was constructed in 1961. The role of the complex in the community
was apparent, bringing DOH and community officials together.
