Follow the link to view the first installment of Tim Johnston's blog on the Urban Golf Project (soccer field) construction taking place at Marygrove College. To view the blog click "read more".

GROUNDBREAKING DEVELOPMENTS - SOCCER FIELD CONSTRUCTION UNDERWAY

Photo Gallery

What an exciting moment for the Marygrove College community! Construction is now underway as payloaders, bulldozers and excavators fill the scene on the east side of campus. The machinery arrived to carryout for the first phase of Marygrove's new Urban Golf Project. The project, broken up into a few different phases, will begin with the construction of a new on-campus soccer field on Detroit's northwest side. The field will be the first on-campus facility for an athletic department with 10+ years of rich history. (Yes, ironically, that history includes a 2009 Women's Soccer USCAA National Championship.)

Last week, the large equipment began to move and make progress towards what promises to be a first class soccer facility. The first day brought plenty of excitement as faculty, staff, and students alike stood in awe of the beginning stages of a great project that will transform the campus in many ways. Despite being in the early stages of construction, you can already tell the facility will undoubtedly have an incredible impact on campus life at Marygrove College. There is a positive energy flowing through campus that reverberates far past athletics and affects everyone in the community at-large.

All the excitement leads me to thinking about the first home contest to hit the pitch this fall. Surely it will be a thrilling moment for everyone from the student-athletes to the parents who have faithfully supported them through the years. Equally important will be the newfound ability for the student body to come out and watch their classmates in action just seconds away from class.

The soccer field is expected to be complete sometime in Mid-August to make way for Fall 2010 preseason training. At that time, the jagged dirt landscape shown in the pictures will be replaced by a large grass field, bleachers, scoreboard and sound system.

I'll leave you with that cliffhanger for this week. Remember to visit us online at www.marygrovemustangs.com each week throughout the summer as I continue to layout the new facility and share photos on the current state of the construction on campus.