Butler Township planning more athletic fields at Pullman Recreation Complex
LYNDORA — With the blue field at Pullman Recreation Complex open, Tom Knights has plans for more.
Knights said more fields will be built to expand the complex behind the AHN Cancer Institute on Hansen Avenue, including another full-sized field, a dedicated flag football field and then a smaller kind of dedicated youth field.
“So I think we’ve run the whole gamut of activities,” Knights said.
Those fields, he said, will be constructed this year and nearby support buildings will likely be done next year. He said the cost of the project, which is expected at $4.8 million, will be pulled from the township’s roughly $9 million capital reserve fund.
“I’d like to think it’s going to eventually make an impact on sports (in the area),” said Knights, the Butler Township manager.
This spring, youth lacrosse and soccer programs occupied the blue artificial turf field for practices and games. Camps for those sports have been held there throughout the summer.
“I think there’s a good blend that the township wants to see of both paid rentals and community time,” Knights said. “That’s one of the big draws (of why) the commissioners were supportive of the complex idea. ... When we start to look at who’s going to use the field, there are some outside possibilities that have been in contact with the township.”
Knights hopes for the complex to develop into a community mainstay for multiple sports, much like nearby Pullman Park is for baseball.
“I’m hoping that it is not only just participant sports, but I hope some of these outside opportunities actually come to fruition and they become a spectator sport for the area, as well,” Knights said.
Knights added that there’s interest from local rugby programs to hold events or tournaments in the future if they had a field that could accommodate them. A 12-16 team U.S. regional rugby tournament is scheduled to take place at the complex from Nov. 8-9.
Butler Eagle reporter Sol McCormick contributed to this report.
