Lighted soccer arena opens in Collier Park

On Friday, San Diego County Supervisor Dianne Jacob, county Parks and Recreation officials and the Ramona Boys & Girls Club celebrated the opening of a new lighted soccer arena at Collier County Park in Ramona.

“I’m so pleased that the county, private donors and the Boys & Girls club were able to join forces—and funds—to get this done for the community,” said Jacob, whose District 2 includes Ramona. “Arena soccer is a fun and healthy sport that a lot of people in Ramona are going to get a chance to enjoy.”

The open-air, walled arena with bleachers and regulation-size artificial turf field is designed for the fast-paced play of arena soccer.

The arena’s artificial turf field and low-energy lighting are designed to conserve resources. The area is Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible, and its wall has a transparent section for a view of the action from a wheelchair at ground level.

The county arena was funded with a $250,000 donation from the Boys & Girls Club of Greater San Diego and

$372,000 in county District 2 Neighborhood Reinvestment funds.

In an agreement with the county, the Boys & Girls Club will maintain and operate the arena and share any revenues it generates with the county.

The new arena will be part of the Ramona Boys & Girls Club and available to the community, too. playgrounds and picnic areas.

Collier County Park, an 8-acre community park with playgrounds and picnic areas, is home to the Ramona Boys & Girls Club and the Scout Hut for Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts. The park is between Sixth and Seventh streets, with the arena at the corner of Seventh and E streets next to the youth clubhouse.