Carmel Middle School Gets New Field House

CHARLOTTE, N.C.,None — South Park Youth Association presented the largest-valued structure given by any Association to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools on Tuesday, October 5, at a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The two-story building -- a field house and concession stand, built and donated by SPYA – replaces the former field house, and boasts twice the storage, a press box, and bathrooms for the first time in Carmel Middle School history. The building cost more than $140,000.

"We held a big fundraiser, a casino night, last spring, in 2009, and raised about $83,000 altogether," said former SPYA Commissioner Larry Brown. "We also had the kids sell cookie dough, because we wanted them to be part of this effort as well." "Schools and school systems all over the country are having a hard time right now giving kids what they need," Brown continued. "We feel great at SPYA that we were able to provide the students at Carmel and the participants in our league something that will be used and enjoyed for many years to come."

SLIDESHOW: Carmel Middle School Gets New Fieldhouse

Initially, the building was projected to cost about $80,000, but a federal requirement necessitated the construction of an ADA ramp to the second-floor storage area. Thus, a second fundraiser is being launched in early October.

Tom Little established SPYA in 1969 and three years later moved the organization's home fields to Carmel Middle School. In 1975, Little financed and built the field house that stood for nearly 35 years. It was demolished to make way for the new building.

From 2006 to 2008, construction at Carmel Middle School left the league with only two of its six original fields, the rest being overtaken by modular classrooms during Carmel's expansion. Instead of folding, as many had predicted SPYA built a new t-ball field on a small vacant parcel, briefly relocated its softball program and hunkered down with lots of sharing of the fields. Today, SPYA boasts nearly 30 baseball and softball teams comprising kids from 5 to 16, runs a basketball league, and has a history of having one of the largest Pop Warner football programs in the Southeast.

Five SPYA baseball teams have won state championships, two of which advanced to the Dixie World Series, including the 10-year-old team this past summer. Nine girls' softball teams have won Charlotte-Mecklenburg Championships, most recently the 14U team in 2008.

CMS Athletics Director Kit Ray, Vicki Hamilton from the Department of Public Works and CMS Board Member Joe White were among those who attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

WSOC