The sweet memory of the first soccer practice at age eight, when shirts were a bit too big and every goal got cheers louder than those at the World Cup. The Coral Gables War Memorial Youth Center has furnished many young members of the Gables community to grow up doing recreational activities they enjoy. Over the decades, with kids putting the facility to use, wearing out has occurred.

The field complex is the top playing surface at the Youth Center, which leads to its state of constant abuse. With the help of funding, plans have been set to re-sod the field with natural grass by next summer. Further objectives are also in mind, such as repairing the fence around the field and basketball court. The largest ticket item on the renovation list are the 20 year old field lights, which due to their age and essential use in after school playtime, need the upgrade.

“The lights and fence are fine right now, so that change won’t have too much effect. Redoing the grass however will be extremely helpful, since the field gets used very frequently and by about November each year the grass is horrible. There are four baseball fields but only two get used and if they took at least one out, it would increase the playing space,” senior Teague Scanlon said.

Whether it’s adding to the Gables’s aesthetic appeal or helping after school sports run more smoothly, the Youth Center’s outdoor facelift will be appreciated by the whole community.