Photo: City of Medford

In 2005, the Medford, Ore. City Council approved a bond to finance the construction of the first three phases of the US Cellular Community Park. The $19 million sports park includes a five field softball complex and a six field soccer/football/baseball complex. Also included are nearly a half-mile of roadway and utilities, three large parking lots, three restroom/concession buildings, grandstands, a press box and a maintenance yard. It is the second largest municipally-owned facility with field turf in the United States.

Completion of this park allows the City of Medford, located in Southern Oregon, to host some of the largest softball, baseball, and soccer tournaments on the West Coast. When all future phases have been completed, the $30 million park will contain 15 ball fields (including 14 all-weather synthetic turf fields), a large activity pavilion and the Jefferson Nature Center.

The project team had to develop a method to pass the 100 year storm requirements for the adjacent Gore Creek and build at least four fields. It was necessary to build up the banks of the creek on both sides of the existing channel to create capacity for a 100 year storm, as the existing channel flooded the historic site in that event.

Installation of a 35x3.5 box culvert to pass 100 year creek flows under the park entry road was a challenge due to the existing road connection.

The baseball field dimensions were changed and given a unique shape due to the location of the access roads through the site. Similar to Boston’s Fenway Park, the outfield fence heights were raised to accommodate the reduced field size and to keep balls in play that might otherwise become easy home runs.