WESTLAKE, OHIO — The City of Westlake is proud to announce the grand opening of the new Recreation Center Park Athletic Fields and Playground. A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held on Saturday, May 16 at 12:00 p.m., marking the completion of another major enhancement to the community’s recreational facilities. The event will feature a DJ, inflatables, snacks and beverages, and more.
The complex was made possible through levy funds approved by Westlake residents in 2017, following a comprehensive master plan study completed in 2015. The project received strong support from Mayor Dennis M. Clough and Westlake City Council, with several city departments playing key roles in its development, including the Engineering, Recreation, and Service Departments.
Key project partners include Behnke Landscape Architecture, Mr. Excavator, Musco Sports Lighting, Snider Recreation, FieldTurf, and The Vasco Group.
Extensive research was conducted to select safe, high-performance playing surfaces for athletes of all ages. The ballfields feature FieldTurf’s DoublePlay Natural Surface, which is also used by collegiate, minor league, and major league teams. The multi-purpose field is equipped with Vertex CORE with CoolPlay, an innovative topdressing designed to reduce surface temperatures by up to 35 degrees in warm conditions — a system utilized at collegiate and professional athletic facilities nationwide. The fields also feature Musco LED sports lighting, further enhancing playability and making them the premier athletic facilities in Westlake.
These state-of-the-art fields will serve Westlake Youth Soccer, Football, Softball, and Baseball, as well as many other local athletic programs.
The expanded playground includes shaded seating areas, accessible pathways, and dedicated play zones for children of all ages. (City of Westlake)
The City of Westlake extends its sincere appreciation to the Westlake Youth Sports Organizations for their participation in the grand opening event, including hosting skills and drills immediately following the ribbon cutting.
Special thanks also go to Rocheck Concessions for providing hot dogs; DJ ATrain for providing music; the
Scouts for distributing snacks and refreshments and assisting with the raising of the United States flag; and Ohio Mobile Gaming for supplying the soccer and football inflatables.