February 19, 2009

Division of Recreational Sports closes Gold Fields due to damage

Howard Taylor, director of the Division of Recreational Sports, said the light poles at the fields are more than 30 years old and should be replaced.

"These lights went up in the early 1970s, and over time the bottom of the poles have rusted, making them vulnerable," he said. "Right now we are assessing the situation and whether any of them can be salvaged, but our main concern is our students. We are not willing to take a risk by leaving the fields open before the lights have been removed."

Taylor said no one was using the fields at the time of the incident, and the area, which consists of more than a dozen fields, is not used much in the winter.

He said the Division of Recreational Sports will try to reschedule and relocate the intramural sports that previously used the Gold Fields in the spring. The Gold Fields are home to a variety of club and intramural sports, including soccer, softball, sand volleyball, and ultimate and flag football. Some of the leagues will be offered earlier in the day, and some activities will be moved to the Black Fields near the Purdue airport. Taylor said the Division of Recreational Sports also will expand scheduling of league activities on Sundays.

For now, the area is cordoned off, and there are signs posted warning people to stay off the fields. Taylor said the department is working on having the lights replaced so that the fields can be used at night again by the fall semester.

Writer: Christy Jones, (765) 494-1089, christyjones@purdue.edu

Source: Howard Taylor, (765) 494-3114, hhtaylor@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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