Sports complex continues relationship between George Fox, community

November 19th, 2009

The multi-use facility is latest venture in extensive relationship between the university and the Chehalem Park and Recreation District

NEWBERG, Ore. – George Fox University’s plans to build the Austin Sports Complex – a multi-use sports facility to be shared by the university, the Chehalem Park and Recreation District, Newberg High School and the community – would continue a relationship between George Fox and the CPRD that is already extensive.

The district currently uses several George Fox facilities while the university utilizes the Chehalem Glenn Golf Course for its home men’s and women’s golf matches. Plans are also in place for George Fox to use the district’s aquatic center after a future launch of an intercollegiate swimming program.

The CPRD, in turn, conducts the following activities on the George Fox campus:

• “Junior Tiger” youth basketball camps
• CPRD youth basketball camp, run by George Fox men’s basketball coach Mark Sundquist
• Softball tournaments on Morse softball field
• CPRD adult open tennis evening on tennis courts
• Middle school cross country practices in the fall
• Football conditioning camp in summer in Wheeler Sports Center

Once completed, the Austin Sports Complex will include a multi-use synthetic turf field, a synthetic turf soccer field, an athletic center building, three grass fields, and a walking/jogging path.

Phase I of the $6.5 million project was launched on July 9, 2009, with the announcement of a $1.2 million lead gift from Brad and Katharine Stoffer and their Boedecker Foundation. The first phase calls for the development of 11 of the 24 acres of land through construction of the synthetic turf soccer field, the multi-use synthetic turf field, and the athletic center building. A $250,000 match is currently under way.

George Fox is teaming up with CPRD to develop the remaining 13 acres in phase II of the project, which will include the installation of the three grass fields.

The complex is being developed on 24 acres of land donated to the university by Newberg philanthropists Ken and Joan Austin. The property is located north of the George Fox campus, on the corner of Crestview and Villa roads in Newberg.

University President Robin Baker said the institution hopes to start construction on the first of two turf fields in March 2010, enabling soccer to be played on the new field as early as next fall.

George Fox University is ranked by Forbes as one of the top 100 colleges in the country and highest among Christian colleges. George Fox is the only Christian university in the Pacific Northwest classified by U.S. News & World Report as a national university. More than 3,300 students attend classes on the university’s campus in Newberg, Ore., and at teaching centers in Portland, Salem, and Redmond, Ore., and Boise, Idaho. George Fox offers bachelor’s degrees in more than 40 majors, degree-completion programs for working adults, five seminary degrees, and 12 master’s and doctoral degrees.

-30-

Contact:
Fred Gregory
Special Assistant to the President
503-554-2103
fgregory@georgefox.edu