Help is on the way for Carmel Dads’ Club’s growing athletic programs.
A new fieldhouse, which has yet to be named, is under construction on the club’s property at Mark Badger Memorial Park, 5459 Main St., and is on schedule to be complete by November 2021.
The building will have four basketball courts and one full-sized synthetic field lined for football and soccer. There also will be three batting cages for baseball and softball.
“The entire facility will be used for all 12 current sports with the possibility of adding sports in the future,” CDC President Jack Beery said. “All recreation and travel sports will use the facility for competition, training and development.”
Beery said Carmel Dads’ Club will continue to utilize facilities through Carmel Clay Schools.
“Programming has grown so much over the years that the new building will provide a little more flexibility and alleviate a little pressure on all the facilities,” Beery said. “It also will allow us to grow into other sports programming opportunities. We are very excited about the opportunities this building will impact. This is another example of striving to be one of the best youth sports organizations in the country. At the end of the day, this facility will help us create memories for kids and families for the rest of their lives.”
Matthew Snyder, Clay Township board member, said the facility will be managed by the Dads’ Club with hours available for public use. The fieldhouse is being funded through the Clay Township Impact Program. Snyder said the cost of the project is approximately $11 million.
“There is no other service other than the schools that touch more people than the Carmel Dads’ Club,” Snyder said. “They are being outpaced by surrounding communities with the growth of soccer. They need a bigger home with some indoor space. The relationship between the township, the Dads’ Club and the schools is a great one, and we had to find a way for everyone to work together given the new environment we live in.”
