City cuts ribbon on soccer complex expansion

The Morganton Parks and Recreation Department held a ribbon cutting Wednesday, April 21 to mark the completion of Phase III of the Catawba River Soccer Complex expansion. This expansion will provide citizens and visitors enhanced recreational and sporting opportunities, and brings to fruition a vision that was laid out for our community more than 20 years ago.

The Phase III expansion added two new multi-use fields, a dog park, new section of paved greenway, picnic shelter, and a playground on the property.  The playground, Dog Park, and shelter are already open, and the multi-use fields will be ready for play in the fall. This $1.4 million dollar expansion was made possible with funds from a North Carolina Parks and Recreation Trust Fund Grant and a grant from ElectriCities of North Carolina, along with funding provided by the City, the City of Morganton Parks and Recreation Foundation, and private donations from Case Farms, Carolinas Healthcare Blue Ridge, and the Wall family.

The Catawba River Soccer Complex was originally constructed in 2000, and housed only two fields at the time. Since then, through the execution of planned expansion phases, the complex is now home to six regulation-size fields, a Petanque court, and all the aforementioned amenities added in the most recent phase of expansion.

This planning and execution of continued expansions and improvements has made the Catawba River Soccer Complex a standout facility for large tournaments and high school games throughout the region. It regularly attracts these large-scale events, and is a spot loved by locals for games organized by citizen-ran leagues. This most recent expansion will ensure the Catawba River Soccer Complex remains a premier soccer and recreational facility in North Carolina. Approximately 40 people gathered Wednesday to celebrate the occasion.

“The completion of this project is something everyone in Morganton can be proud of, and ensures that we remain a standout facility in western North Carolina for recreational opportunities and sporting events,” said City of Morganton Parks and Recreation Director Rob Winkler. “We are deeply thankful for all of the private donations, grants, and various funding sources that made this project possible. It shows that our entire community has a stake in what we do with our parks and facilities, and take an active role in shaping Morganton’s future.”