Tom Mercile, a coach and resident who identified himself as representing the Franklin County Girls Soccer Club, described a volunteer project to build a 32-foot by 12-foot practice wall at Liberty Field and asked the board for approval and help with siting and permits. “What we want to do is call it kick wall, and it's pretty much basically what it sounds like. It's a wall to where players can go down and kick a ball against it, you know, by yourself,” Mercile said. He told the board Hackman Lumber has promised to donate lumber and that his company would cover remaining material and heavy construction; he also said club players would participate in framing, sheeting and painting the structure.

The board voted by voice to approve the installation and directed Mercile to work with Park Superintendent Chris Fowler and city staff on exact placement, permitting and final details. Alderman James Cleave said he will raise the item with the Board of Aldermen but did not expect opposition to a no-cost installation.

Why it matters: the project offers a low-cost practice amenity for youth soccer and includes volunteer labor and a corporate lumber donation; the board’s approval allows staff and the applicant to narrow siting and permitting steps.

Details: Mercile described the structure as pressure-treated lumber, with 6x6 posts set about 36 inches in the ground and an 18‑inch pier around posts. He said the wall would sit roughly 6 inches above ground to allow mowers to pass and avoid chasing balls. He presented three possible locations near Liberty Field and said Option A was his preferred site; he and Fowler agreed to walk the park together to determine the best placement. Mercile estimated installation could occur in August or September depending on weather and said the club would finish surface painting (purple, Liberty colors) and arrange signage recognition for donors.

What the board approved: a motion was made and seconded to install a kick wall at Liberty Field with the Franklin County Girls Soccer Club as organizer and Hackman Lumber as sponsor. The motion passed by a voice vote. The board did not approve any city expenditures; Cleave said he expected the Board of Aldermen would not need to allocate funds for a donor-funded, volunteer-built feature but would be notified.

Next steps and limitations: staff will verify whether the chosen site lies in the floodplain and check building-permit requirements; Fowler said he would coordinate required permits with the city. The board asked the applicant to finalize a site plan with Fowler and to coordinate media/recognition with the city.

Ending: The board expressed general support for the project and asked that construction scheduling, final siting and permitting be completed with staff before work begins.