sports

#ThrowbackThursday: March 23, 2006 MARA Prepares for its 50th Anniversary

With permission, The Beacon is archiving past issues of Matthews News and Record (also called Matthews Record) articles online. Throwback Thursday articles will include relevant content still facing Matthews today. This story was originally published March 23, 2006 and was written by the Matthews News & Record staff.

In the fifties, a group of Matthews’ parents decided that the community needed a Little League baseball program. The parents met in an informal meeting in the basement of the Baptist Church and began their dream.

There was no playground or park in Matthews. Arthur Goodman (1896-1959), an attorney, a member of the North Carolina Legislature and a non-resident of the Matthews Community, had at that time passed away and his widow, Mrs. Katherine Goodman, donated the land in his memory. She allowed the construction of a Little League field on three acres of their land in Matthews. The Matthews Area Recreation Association, a non-profit organization whose function would be to own and operate the Little League Field for all in the farming and rural community of Matthews, was born. This field, built in the spirit of volunteerism and giving, was Field #1 at the Arthur Goodman Memorial Park.

The backstop was chicken wire nailed to used telephone poles and the bases were burlap bags.

As the years passed, the MARA changed, the number of players grew and soon dugouts and storage rooms became a must. These became the first permanent structures at the park. Later, an old snow cone booth became the first semi-permanent concession stand. It was soon replaced by their now existing concrete and brick structure.

The group started planning again and decided that the Little League Baseball Program needed to be expanded and the community needed a complete park — one that would offer a program for girls. The group asked Mrs. Katherine Goodman and Arthur Goodman, Jr. (1927-2003), and his sister, Mrs. Elizabeth Klein, if they would help once again. The all answered without hesitation - “If you need to expand the park and enlarge the program, how much land is needed?” It was decided that twelve additional acres would meet the needed requirement and the family said, “Get the deal ready for signing — the twelve acres are yours!”

Now MARA had the land, but little or no money; so they met with Matthews Over Seas Veterans Club. At a special meeting the entire Veteran’s Club Treasury was donated to Arthur Goodman Memorial Park. With the agreement came the understanding that two tennis courts would be included in the park expansion.

MARA acquired materials as reasonably as possible. Moms and Dads did the actual physical work. Tennis courts were built, the old house under the big tree on the hill was demolished and the tractor, storage and bathroom building was completed.

Chicken wire fences came down, new chain link fences were erected, the parking lot was graded, the big boys baseball field (major league size) was graded and girls softball organized. A Junior League football program was started. The Moms and Dads borrowed $5,000 to grade the land and erect fences on the new fields. In 1974, two new dugouts for the big boys baseball field were donated.

In 1983, MARA acquired 6.5 acres of land adjoining the park and started IMY — “Invest in Matthews Youth” — a funding vehicle with a goal of $100,000 to pay for the land and build more fields. The decade ended with continued growth in the Matthews area and continued stress on their size and field limits.

In the early 1990’s, a multipurpose field was converted to two additional soccer fields. Their Little League program was expanded to two franchises allowing additional teams. A membership capital campaign began and allowed much needed aesthetic improvements such as new signs, score boards, and sidewalks. From humble beginnings, they approached the millennium with much enthusiasm for continued growth.

Arthur Goodman Memorial Park has come a long way from its sparse beginning to a beautifully lighted complex where baseball, softball, soccer, and football are played almost year round. Great pride can be felt by every child and parent, player and coach, sponsor and members of the Matthews Community who have given freely of their time, money, talents, resources, and efforts in the same spirit of volunteerism that Arthur Goodman and his wife, Katherine, were shown in the beginning.

In 2006, their Capital Campaign continues, as does their growth and needs. The goals for Arthur Goodman Park are significant, which are diagrammed in the signs throughout the park. Obviously the number of improvements undertaken will depend greatly upon the amount of money raised through Capital Campaign efforts and fundraising.

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The children of Matthews and surrounding areas have benefited from all that MARA has to offer. It is up to all of us to ensure that MARA continues to thrive as a sports complex that is not only modern and safe, but is a place of pride as the children compete in a variety of sports activities for years to come. MARA provides sports programs that serve over nineteen hundred area boys and girls annually and has grown to be one of the largest youth sports associations in the state.

With this being the 50th anniversary of MARA, the annual opening day event has been expanded to include a Friday night event as well. Plans are for the event to occur April 7 and 8 at Goodman Park. All area families are invited to attend the festivities at the park. Special guests, food vendors, a silent auction, sports celebrities, and an array of activities for kids to enjoy are planned. All former MARA players from the last fifty years are encouraged to contact the association regarding this event. You may contact MARA at 704-847-0752 or visit www.marasports.org.

Here’s to the next fifty years of sports at Matthews Athletic and Recreation Association and all the kids they will serve along the way. HAPPY 50th ANNIVERSARY!!


#ThrowbackThursday: June 15, 2006

With permission, The Beacon is archiving past issues of Matthews Record (also called Matthews News and Record and The Matthews Record) articles online. Throwback Thursday articles will include relevant content still facing Matthews today. This story was originally published June 15, 2006 and was written by Janet Denk.

Town leaders on Monday night overwhelmingly supported a plan to work and build a regional Sportsplex facility, in partnership with Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation Department, on land at Independence and I-485.

The nearly 160-acre area, owned by the County, is adjacent to property in Matthews referred to as the “Small Area Plan” which has been earmarked, since 1999, for a mixed-use development that would include business, residential and recreational facilities.

Money for the project would come from the Occupancy and Prepared Food Tax.

“This is a solid source of funding,” Town Manager Hazen Blodgett said, “because the folks who use it will be the ones who pay for it.”

A $25 million bond referendum approved by voters in November 2004, and to be used by 2007, includes $8 million for partnership projects such as this one set before Matthews. Matthews proposes to commit $2 million to the project.

The project is still in conceptual phase, though submitting an application was imperative this week. Areas all over Mecklenburg County will be submitting proposals, so the The Town Manager, along with the Parks Department, the Planning Department and the Town Commissioners, were scrambling to get the process underway. A special public meeting was held before last week’s Parks and Recreation Master Plan Workshop.

Currently both Cary and Greensboro have high quality soccer complexes but the Charlotte region is lacking. The plan, bu the County, is to design a state-of-the-art regional facility to compete for tourism dollars with associated field team sports.

“This is huge,” said Matthews Parks, Recreation and Cultural Department Director Geralynn Trellue. “We’re not thinking, ‘Just Matthews. Or just soccer.’ We’re thinking of the bigger picture. That means maximum use for this, almost 300-acre area.”

The fact that the facility will be run by the County and used more than 80% by local citizens makes the project attractive for many. The NCAA, ACC and other tournaments will make this a solid attraction. The Keith Corporation of Charlotte has committed to developing a family-entertainment complex within the proposed area, which would include hotels, restaurants and much more.

“We want to support this idea and get things underway so it can become an economic drive for the community,” said Blodgett whose Budget for fiscal year 2006-7 was adopted at last Monday’s meeting.

Brendon Pierce, of the Keith Corporation, shared information about comparable facilities and has worked several years on projects such as this. He comments Matthews’ involvement. This is the ideal land for this type of project,” he explained.

Town Commissioner Bill Dixon, who worked on the Parks and Recreation Board when this idea first came through in 2000, voted along with his colleagues in favor of the project. However, he urged caution. “Let’s avoid the slippery slope,” he said with regard to the debt service on such an ambitious project. “Are we okay in that department?” he glanced at Blodgett. The Town Manager returned a very comfortable nod in the affirmative.