Contact:  Jan Thornburg, Sr. Communications Manager   941-954-2613      jan.thornburg@sarasotafl.gov

To celebrate the newly constructed soccer field at Eastwood Park, a grand opening ceremony will be held Thursday, April 12 at 6 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. at the park, 422 N. Cornelius Circle.

Following the ribbon cutting ceremony, local trainers will take to the field and demonstrate soccer skills and run children through agility drills.  A fun scrimmage game between the youngsters in attendance will be played.

The Parks and Recreation staff and Mayor Shelli Freeland Eddie met with the Eastwood Neighborhood in December 2017 and discussed ways to activate the park.  The top request from residents was a soccer field.

“Young teenagers in the area absolutely cannot wait for the new field to open,” said Mark Hamilton, Recreation Programming Manager. “Having another field for play and programming opens up the City’s Parks and Recreations outreach to new areas of the City where we can promote health, wellness and social interaction in a local neighborhood that is very excited for the upgrade.”

A portion of Eastwood Park is reserved for a playground, which will be installed later this year.  The design will be unveiled to the community during the grand opening event.

For more information contact Jerry Fogle, Parks and Recreation Director:  941-954-4182.

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About the City of Sarasota:  Distinguished by Google as a Digital Capital in the U.S., the City of Sarasota is a diverse community located on Florida’s Suncoast with 53,000 year-round residents, several internationally recognized cultural arts venues, stunning sunsets along Lido Beach, a 45-hole municipal golf course at the historic Bobby Jones Golf Club, and Major League spring training baseball with the Baltimore Orioles.  Learn more about us at www.SarasotaFL.Gov