New Lease on Life Planned for Granite Park

December 19, 2012 Updated Dec 19, 2012 at 6:52 PM PDT

For the longest time, city officials were determined to build Granite Tark around the softball complex.

But now, developers are working on a wakeboarding, and small-sided soccer, project.

Fresno city councilman Larry Westerlund will pitch the plan at Thursday's meeting at city hall.

It includes a 10 acre wakeboarding park, which uses cables instead of boats.

This part of the plan will cost $1 million, with Wake Compound taking on $40,000 dollars of the property's annual lease.

This part of the project will double as a ponding basin for the city's public utilities department.

Scott Towsley, Wake Compound: "Really what the cable system does, it's very much like what chair lifts did for snow skiing. There would not be a ski area existing today if we didn't have chair lifts."

The south side lot's 4 acres would feature at least 7 small-sided soccer fields, where teams of 5 or 7 can compete.

It would cost about $3 million to build, with Score Soccer Centers taking on another $40,000 of the lease.

Sometimes referred to as "5-a-side soccer," it's a fast-paced version of the sport, on field a tenth the size of a regular soccer field.

Michael Noble, Score Soccer Centers: "As a kid who's getting into the game, your skill development is way quicker. Here's an opportunity of a lot more touches on the ball, a lot more passes."

There would also be clubhouse for each project, complete with lockers, a store and snack bar.

But Westerlund says residents in his district are skeptical of the project...

He also says there's no impact to the general fund.

"They're ready to see something be done with that 18 acres. I mean, right now, all it is, is a big weed catch."

A workshop will be held at the council meeting tomorrow to discuss the project, with a vote due at a later meeting.

If all goes according to plan, the new and improved Granite Park could open as early as June next year.

Thursday will also be Larry Westerlund's last city council meeting.

Newly elected council member Paul Caprioglio takes over the District 4 seat January 10th.