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Soccer pitch receives major improvements

“Wes has been awesome. He’s been just brilliant. He wants to see everything better.” Rob MacArthur, PMSA president
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A Ponoka County tractor tills the two Lucas Heights Soccer Pitches May 27. The land was leveled and sod has been ordered for planting in the next few weeks.

For the last several years, the Ponoka Minor Soccer Association (PMSA) has been working to update both Lucas Heights soccer fields and with the collaborative efforts of the town and county, that dream is becoming a reality.

The fields were tilled last week and PMSA president Rob MacArthur hopes sod, which is on order, will be installed in the next few weeks. He praised Wes Amendt, director of community services for the Town of Ponoka, for ensuring things move forward.

“Wes has been awesome. He’s been just brilliant. He wants to see everything better,” said MacArthur.

MacArthur says Amendt found a plan from more than 10 years ago that was intended to properly develop the Lucas Heights Soccer pitches. He said the field is a natural drainage area and cannot accommodate any type of building or structure.

Planners at the time saw the field as an ideal spot for soccer pitches but for whatever reason, the plans were never followed through.

The entire project is expected to cost $47,000 and the town has contributed $15,000, which was allocated in the 2014 budget. Ponoka County has offered services to the association and county equipment has been leveling the field and tilling the land in preparation of sod.

Now PMSA is fundraising with two different projects: one is a raffle and the second is through ATB Financial Outlaw Roundup, whereby individuals agree to be jailed briefly as a fun activity during the Ponoka Stampede. The group is said to have been already selected to be picked as outlaws for the roundup.

MacArthur feels ATB saw the community value of what PMSA is trying to do and he suggests when they host tournaments, business in town benefit. He feels this update is an exciting one and was pleased to see co-operation from both the town and county.

“Their attitude has been great with things,” he said.

PMSA has 320 kids registered and 25 adults in the Ponoka FC men’s Battle River league.