Courtesy: NBC Nebraska



Residents excited about futsal court coming to Lions Club Park

Aug 19, 2016

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. -- People who are interested in soccer will soon be able to enjoy the first futsal court coming to Grand Island.

Futsal is a version of soccer played on concrete or even indoors. The futsal court is one of the new improvements in the works at Lions Club Park.

Other renovations include new sidewalks and the replacement of the basketball court.

Residents said the improvements are long overdue.

"It was a very simple, very dull looking park," Jorge Paramo, a Grand Island resident said. "I did hangout there when I was a little bit smaller, but now that I'm an adult I don't as much." "I think it's nice they are actually changing it," Paramo added.

Paramo has lived near the park for nine years. He said he is excited that a futsal court is one of the new additions.

"With me being Latino, I love soccer so we tend to play a lot over there," Paramo said. "We just didn't have the facilities I guess to actually play good soccer, and I think it's cool they are adding a soccer court there."

City officials said the futsal court will be a great addition to the community.

"There's a lot of teams out there," Parks and Recreation Director Todd McCoy said. "A lot of youth looking for places to practice soccer." "Space has always been an issue and we were just really looking for a different idea as far as a place they can play," McCoy added.

Majority of the funding for the renovations is provided by a Community Development Block Grant of $650,000. The Public Works Department will provide an additional $100,000 for handicap ramps and other capital improvement items equating to a total renovation cost of $750,000.

McCoy said the improvements will enhance the park system.

"This is one of the parks that really haven't had a lot of improvements over the last few years," McCoy said. "The basketball court was quite aged and the sidewalks had quite a few cracks."

Paramo said he looks forward to seeing the end product and is glad the city is making improvements.

"You don't want to have the same facilities around an area forever, they're eventually going to start getting rusty and old," Paramo said. "If you want to have a healthy community, I think it's better to have better places for kids to hangout."

Construction is expected to be completed by summer of 2017.

If future funds are available, officials are thinking about adding irrigation and a new playground.


Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com