Pinole to Rehabilitate West Soccer Field With $107,000 League Funding

“When it rains, it gets really muddy and there’s puddles,” said Megan Tamayo, a 10th grader who has played on the West Soccer Field at Pinole Valley Park for approximately two years, Richmond Confidential reported.

The city of Pinole intends to fix that problem. During its upcoming annual winter maintenance closure, the Community Service Department plans to rehabilitate the West Soccer Field, also known as Savage Field, by installing a grass variety better suited to the local climate and leveling the playing surface.

This renovation is being funded entirely by the West Contra Costa Youth Soccer League, which is covering the estimated $107,000 cost. The project follows a successful previous collaboration between the league and the city to restore the park’s East Soccer Field, a move that transformed a previously unusable space into a high-demand asset.

Growing demand for Bay Area fields

The push for better facilities comes as soccer fields become increasingly scarce across the Bay Area. The scale of the need is evident in the growth of the local league; Tyler Dark, the league president and executive director, noted that the competitive program has expanded from roughly seven or eight teams to 40 in just five years.

The competition for space is not limited to youth leagues. Dark said that every year, the local school district adds more user groups that compete with the league for available field time.

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“These teams love a new field,” Dark said, “and they love an open field.”

The rehabilitation of the West Soccer Field is a specific component of a much larger vision for the area. A 2024 master plan developed by the city and the consulting firm RJM Design Group identified several facilities in Pinole Valley Park—the city’s second most-visited park—that require upgrades.

That comprehensive plan estimated that renovating the east and west soccer fields, along with baseball fields and other amenities, would cost approximately $8.5 million.

Andrea Dwyer, the Pinole community services director, stated that upgrading Savage Field supports the city’s broader goal of improving community health and fitness through sports. Once the new grass is established, the field can host matches rather than just practices, which Dwyer noted could allow the city to generate revenue through field rentals.

Maintenance challenges and infrastructure concerns

While the upcoming project focuses on the turf, the increased use of the park presents ongoing management hurdles. To protect the East Soccer Field from the wear and tear of high traffic, the city has utilized fences and locked soccer goals to prevent unauthorized play during maintenance periods.

The city also frequently closes fields when the ground becomes too saturated, as playing on wet grass can cause long-term damage to the surface. Despite these measures, some residents still attempt to bypass fences to use the facilities.

The expansion of soccer activity has also brought attention to other aging infrastructure within Pinole Valley Park. During a September 15 City Council meeting, resident Anthony Vosprink raised concerns regarding the maintenance of other park features. He pointed to the need for significant repairs or replacements for restrooms near the west field, the playground, and the baseball fields, specifically citing broken toilet seats and the need for repainting.

The city is attempting to address some of these utility needs alongside the field work. Dwyer confirmed that a new restroom unit has been purchased for the East Soccer Field and funding has been secured for its installation. However, the project still requires a foundation and the connection of sewer lines. While the city hopes to coordinate this installation with the West Soccer Field project, the timeline remains uncertain.

The current renovation of the West Soccer Field is scheduled to take place between November and February. However, the exact completion date depends on weather conditions and the time required for the new grass to take root. The city aims to have the improvements finished before the start of the spring soccer season.