MEMPHIS, Tenn. (localmemphis.com) – Binghampton leaders are preparing to break ground on a new chapter for all ages in the community to enjoy: a state-of-the-art sports complex.
The more than a half-a-million-dollar project, with fundraisingspearheaded by First Baptist Church Broad, will include athletic fields,exercise areas, and a pavilion – and offer a free and safe greenspace for allages.
It’s also just down the street from the fast-growing Broad Avenuedistrict, giving Binghampton another sign of positive momentum.
“We wanted to bring something in the inner city, a very high-qualityproject, something that really people could be proud of,” First Baptist ChurchBroad Pastor Keith Norman said.
Saturday morning, Pastor Norman’s longtime vision for his churchfamily and the Binghampton community will become clearer, when ground is brokenfor this sports complex, rising from a vacant lot on Broad and Carpenter.
“This project kind of brings all of that together in a waythat we can be proud of in this community,” Pastor Norman said.
The athletic complex will eventually include a multi-purpose fieldfor football and other sports, a walking and running track, and a pavilion forseniors.
“If we do something where people can say ‘this is mine, thisis ours, we can use it for free,’ and it is a high-quality project, people aremore likely to use it,” Pastor Norman said.
Those in Binghampton believe the complex will be a gamechanger forthe neighborhood. It’s one of the city’s poorest with blight and crimechallenges, but there are also signs of new life on both sides of Sam CooperBoulevard. That includes a grocery store and shopping center off TillmanStreet, and the now bustling Broad Avenue district.
“It’s all part of the revitalization that over 20 years agowe made it our goal and our impetus to remain right here in this community. Weflourished over the years,” Pastor Norman said.
“It will bring more growth to the city,” Connie Hall said.“I think it will be more in character to the entire community, you know,just something totally different.”
Clark Butcher, who owns Victory Bicycle Studio on Broad Avenue,said he’s excited to see the complex complement Binghampton’s other positiverecent development.
“It doesn’t have an exclusive feel, it has an inclusive feel. Soif you are riding by and you see soccer fields and jungle gyms or whatever,it’s easily accessible,” Butcher said.
Organizers for the sports complex on Broad Avenue said it will bebuilt in phases – and so far – donors contributed about a third of the totalexpected price tag.