Sports complex at Magnolia High considered

Repeated concerns from West Anaheim residents and discussions at City Council meetings have led to a proposed solution for sports enthusiasts in the city's west end. A proposal to build a sports complex at Magnolia High School is making its way through the city's early planning stages now in an effort to alleviate crowded fields throughout the city, but mostly in West Anaheim, according to city staff. Mayor Curt Pringle in June asked city staff to begin working on a proposal for a sports complex at Magnolia High School. It. was at this meeting when West Anaheim residents first criticized the plan for the reconfiguration of Maxwell Park, saying the design created too many active uses of the space. Jack Kudron, interim community services director, said an early estimate of the project sets the price tag at somewhere between $1 million and $1.5 million. He said the city has contracted a landscape architect to draft a preliminary site plan. The project wouldn't go out to bid until after the 2004-05 fiscal year budget is approved. That budget would include the funds for the sports complex. "The way the fields that are laid out at Magnolia High School, (they) could be laid out more efficiently," Kudron said. By reconfiguring the space two new fields could be added at Magnolia, Kudron said. Another major component of the project would be to light those fields, which would be designed as multi-purpose so that they could be used for baseball , Softball , soccer or football. According to city figures, West Anaheim currently has 43 soccer fields. Of those, 29 are dedicated to youth soccer and the remaining for adults. A plurality, 35, are unlighted. Central Anaheim has 34 soccer fields and East Anaheim has 18, according to the same city count. After West Anaheim residents criticized the city's proposed plan for redesigning Maxwell Park to accommodate an expanded library and additional parking, the city turned around last week and agreed to a compromise on the design. The agreement pleased some residents, who said it was a step in the right direction, who stopped short of saying it was a good plan. "We're pleased that Mayor Pringle has not taken a hard-nosed stance on the old plan and that he is looking at possibilities," said Judithanne Collette, land use chairwoman for the West Anaheim Neighborhood Development Council. "But it could be a much better comprehensive plan. It's another piece of quilt work." Paul Mercier, superintendent of Magnolia School District, whose office abuts Maxwell Park, said the district's board is also pleased with the compromise plan. "It (the Magnolia sports complex) will alleviate a lot," he said. "But you know what, there's tremendous demands for fields everywhere." "(The Magnolia sports complex) will alleviate a lot. But you know what, there's tremendous demands for fields everywhere."