Athletic practice fields to replace Nature Preserve

Peter Holland, Jr. // Staff Writer

As the Nature Preserve has come to an end, new practice fields for FIU athletics are on the works.

The University is planning to build new practice fields for the athletics and recreational program. The fields will be located at the Northern region of the Nature Preserve located right in the center of all the athletic fields.

President Mark Rosenberg, administration and board of trustees supported the endowment of the Nature Preserve and the renovations for athletics. Some athletes believe this would help expand FIU, too.

“You can’t go anywhere without seeing any construction,” said senior linebacker Anthony Wint. “It’s good to see the University building and growing. I think we’re like the fifth big university and by the time all the construction is done, we might be the second behind Arizona State. That’s big things having more people come to our school, more alumni, and a bigger atmosphere.”

In addition to a new practice field, the program is also adding brand new turf inside Ocean Bank Field, and a jumbotron to the stadium to attract fans, according to first year head coach Butch Davis.

“It’s exciting to see all the projects that we got going on,” said Davis. “Adding the jumbotron will be great for the fans and will give great videos during instant replays and a lot of school board and advertisement.  The two new practice fields, we’re anxious for that.  We get a chance to practice on grass as well as field turf.”

Rosenberg is all in with the new beginning for the football program and the Butch Davis era, according to Davis and a couple of the returning starters from last season.

“It means a lot for our president to sign a check and all that to let us know that the school is behind us and want us to achieve great things,” said senior quarterback Alex McGough. “I know that he cares about us as individuals. It’s not the first time he talked to us. He probably talked to us four or five different times since Butch Davis got here.  So, he really cares and we’re starting to see that and it’s really helping us a lot.”

Alian Collazo, president of the Student Government Association, supported the students who wanted to keep the preserve. Knowing that the University is limited with spacing, Collazo also understands the necessity of practice fields for the athletics.

“I would have preferred that the preserves weren’t touched,” said Collazo. “But there is big massive need for both athletes and recreational sports and the thing about FIU is that there’s isn’t enough space. That’s the reality.”

Even though the North side of the preserve is gone, the Southern region of the preserve, where it is  filled with swamped grass and damp areas, is still intact. Collazo and SGA are working on projects involving it, according to the SGC-MMC president. They will develop what is called the green project, in which they will be adding more wetlands and a natural lake that is instituted with the reserve.

“We want the Southern portion to be organized around and what was in the Northern part, being the same type but better and wetlands still existing,” said Collazo.

The SGA president didn’t comment on the costing of the project, but is grateful of the funding that was received for the project, along with other projects in the future. Even though the Nature Preserve is lost, Collazo is looking forward to developing the green project as he reaches toward the end of his term as SGA president.

“The best thing that came out of this was the money given to the green project will be in for sustainability that would not only affect the preserve but all of the MMC campus,” said Collazo.

SGA and FIU athletics will still be working together going forward despite the disagreement of the preserve.  The renovation is under construction and the date has yet to be announced on when the the practice fields will be ready.