Source: Kilgore News Herald
By: Lucas Strough lstrough@kilgorenewsherald.co, Jan 3, 2024

The City of Kilgore has announced additional progress at the Highway 135 Youth Sport Complex, saying a major renovation project at the site is nearing completion and will be ready for use and play this year.

The late December update from the city stated grass would be fully grown in and ready for play in 2024. The site has been undergoing a major renovation effort begun in May 2023, but was years in the making.

The renovation included the installation of four new light poles around the soccer fields and 12 new poles around the softball fields to replace the old lighting system. This includes three security lighting modules to help light up the parking lots.

Also, the existing baseball fields at the site were rearranged to make room for a new competition-sized field. The project also included backstop repairs, fence repairs and replacements and irrigation repairs and replacements at Field 3.

The Kilgore Youth Sports Association first began using the complex 30 years ago. Fundraising and a great deal of volunteer effort has gone into revitalizing the aging facility, as well as expanding and adding to its playing fields.

The softball and soccer fields were first created in the early 1990s by volunteer work and local donations. They’ve been operated and maintained over the years by Kilgore Youth Softball Association and Kilgore Soccer Association. In recent years, the city formed a plan to assume ownership of the facility and contribute to its revitalization. In 2022, the plan was finalized and the city became owners of the facility while the two local sports associations were in charge of its day-to-day operations.

In October 2022, the city began securing funding for the planned upgrades, which were initially discussed in 2018 and 2019, but were delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In March 2023, city council members approved the execution of a contract with Heartland Park & Recreation for lighting and field construction at the sports complex for an amount not to exceed $1 million.

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Source: Kilgore News Herald