Sycamore Park District’s new sports complex features 18 soccer fields

SYCAMORE - Sycamore Park District recently held its grand opening for its new Riverside Sports Complex, which features 18 soccer fields.

Players in the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) were the first to take the field at the new complex, 1515 Airport Road in Sycamore in April. The facility features 18 fields of varying sizes for a variety of ages.

A paved walking path, a picnic pavilion, a storage building and port-a-potties are available for use. A large wetland sits just west of the fields, helping with water absorption and field drainage.

“After years of planning for the new soccer fields, it was truly a delight to see all of the players, coaches, and families pouring into the new complex,” Bill Kroeger, Park District Board President said in a news release. “The Sycamore Park District Board is extremely proud of the staff, as well as the contractors, for all of the hard work and long days in getting us to this opening day.”

A second sports facility, formerly known as Sycamore Sports Complex, is also under new development at 435 Airport Road. Newly-coined the Citizens Memorial Sports Complex, the facility will include five new ball diamonds, a disc golf course, playground, bocce ball, shelter, additional parking and a native prairie.

According to a news release, the Citizens Memorial Sports Complex is expected to be completed by June. However, planned use of the new amenities will be dependent on how quickly the turf is able to successfully establish.

Both projects were part of Sycamore Park District’s long-range plan, ACTION 2020, and had been put on hold due to frozen state grant funding until 2019 when the grant programs were reinstated.