Local Carlinville contractors began hauling dirt to build up and level the area for the construction of the Indoor Practice Faclility this week. As many as nine semi-trailers and tandem trucks have been dumping dirt which will eventually take over 10,000 cubic yards to level the space the $6.4 million dollar structure will sit.
The faciliity will be over 40,000 square feet and boast a 200' X 120' turf area for practice space for six sports, intramural activities, and physical education classes. There will be a golf performance center with two top of the line simulators and a practice green for chipping and putting along with locker space.
Sports that will have locker rooms in the facility include: Baseball, Softball, Men's Soccer, Women's Soccer, Men's Wrestling and Womens' Wrestling to go along with men's and women's golf. The structure will also house an athletic training room, coaches offices, a lobby to meet with recruits, public restrooms, storage space and an area for concessions.
Within the turf area which will be surrounded on the sides and ceiling by netting, there will be four batting cages that drop down from the ceiling for baseball and softball. A regulation softball infield and a near regulation baseball infield. A center curtain will allow for multiple team practices or activities. Wrestling will also call this their practice home as the mats will be able to be brought into the area. There will also be two outdoor covered batting cages to provide additional practice space if the indoor facility is fully in use.
The facility is made possible by a grant from the state of Illinois to go along with the fundraising campaign "Winning Together." The goal for the campaign is $7.7 million dollars and will include upgrades to Dawes Gymnasium as well.
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There will be a variety of naming opportunities within the new facility, for more information or the desire to contribute to the Winning Together Campaign, contact Glen Krupica the campaign manager at glen.krupica@blackburn.edu or by phone at (217) 313-7736.
"It has been quite a site to see the steady stream of trucks dropping off the dirt and watch it being spread and compacted," said Blackburn Interim Athletic Director Mike Neal.