Decatur Park Disctrict Sports Complex
Decatur, IL
The Decatur Park District received an OSLAD grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to create an outdoor sports complex. Chastain surveyed the 40 acre site and worked closely with the Park District personnel to plan the first phase of the project. This planning process developed into Chastain preparing a master plan for the entire 120 acre sports complex which incorporates upgrading existing baseball, softball, football, track and tennis facilities on adjacent Decatur School District property.
Chastain designed the first phase in early 2004; construction was completed in fall 2004. In June 2005, they received a second grant from OSLAD for the second phase of the project. Again, Chastain worked closely with Park District personnel to convert an unusable steeply sloped site into a U10 youth soccer field with ADA accessible walking path, irrigation and a nature trail through adjacent Park District woodlands.
Design and key elements of the projects included:
- Bidding and construction observation.
- NCAA regulation soccer fields and a practice field.
- Site drainage, fencing, utilities, irrigation system with booster pump, and masonry pump house
- Lighting for the four soccer fields.
- Challenges included leveling step terrain to provide a playing field meeting regulations; avoid placing fill in the floodplain of Steven Creek; avoiding a historic cemetery; providing drainage in the cut areas and providing an ADA accessible pathway around the entire field for spectators.