Council discusses Odessa Soccer Association request to return to Sherwood Park; officials point to parking, water and field upgrades

City parks staff and councilmembers spent the workshop session discussing a proposal from the Odessa Soccer Association to relocate play back to Sherwood Park, weighing field capacity, neighborhood impacts and infrastructure costs.

"We are discussing the potential relocation of the Odessa Soccer Association to Sherwood Park," Jonathan said at the start of the agenda item. Parks staff and the Parks Advisory Board expressed support for discussing the move but said upgrades would be necessary to handle larger attendance.

The nut graf: parks staff said Sherwood Park could accommodate about four full-size soccer fields, but the site lacks sufficient parking, restroom access and durable turf and may require a new water well or a city-water connection to support irrigation. Councilmembers emphasized neighborhood parking, prior unauthorized work at park sites, and the city's long-term plan for a regional sports complex.

Parks staff described specific infrastructure needs: additional parking, restrooms placed between soccer fields and playgrounds for shared access, leveled fields using a durable grass such as TifTuf Bermuda or the alternative of synthetic turf, and irrigation that may require a new well or connection to city water. "If they do relocate back to Sherwood, they will still utilize Comanche West periodically... because there's lights, and that's the only facility with lights at the fields," Jonathan said.

Jonathan said Sherwood could fit approximately four full-size fields using the area behind the community center and toward 44th Street and taking a small section behind the baseball field. Comanche East, he said, could fit nearly three full-size fields if the steep back third of the park were leveled; that area currently has a severe slope that makes it largely unusable.

Councilmembers raised long-standing concerns about OSA's past use of parks. Several council speakers said past activity included installing structures or fixtures without completing permits and using neighborhoods for overflow parking; that had produced resident complaints. The record shows a deed restriction requiring that no single person or organization have sole use of a building placed on park property when the county deeded parkland to the city. Parks staff said the deed language requires shared access if a storage building remains on site.

Costs raised during discussion included an estimated conceptual-design range of $30,000–$40,000 for design work generally, a specific conceptual design estimate of $38,000 for Comanche East, and a construction estimate referenced as roughly $2.3 million to build fields and supporting infrastructure. Jonathan said staff will work with architects to return with firm numbers if the council directs the department to pursue upgrades.

Councilmembers argued alternatives: some urged further study and improvements at Floyd Gwinn Park and Comanche rather than immediate changes at Sherwood given neighborhood impacts and the city’s plan to build a larger sports complex. Jonathan said staff would evaluate Floyd Gwinn as an additional option; council asked for comparisons between improvements at Floyd Gwinn and Comanche East and conceptual costs for Sherwood.

Ending: The council asked staff to return with options for Floyd Gwinn and Comanche improvements and with cost estimates and design options for Sherwood if staff concludes it is feasible. No formal action to authorize upgrades at Sherwood was taken during the discussion.