A new turf playing surface, new lights, new stands and a recently approved field house all are on track to be completed for Fall 2012 at Easton Field.

Athletics and Recreation Director Shirley Liddle, Associate Vice President of Facilities and Capital Planning Tom Macchi, the coaches for men’s and women’s soccer, lacrosse and field hockey, and President Carl (Tobey) Oxholm III met last week and approved the final plans for the installation of Arcadia University’s first turf and lighted field. The Board of Trustees approved the renovation of Easton Field at its October meeting, approving the reconfiguring of the field to gain more playing room and adding the restrooms and field house improvement at their meeting earlier this month.

The new field has been part of the University’s strategic plan for athletics for several years and will be fully compliant with all NCAA rules for all four sports, including 10 feet of run-off for the athletes. Cameras will be positioned on several of the light poles to allow for live web feeds and video recording of the games. A new sound system and scoreboard are also planned.

“This will give us a very competitive facility in the MAC (Middle Atlantic Conference of Division III),” said Liddle. “Awesome, simply awesome!” was the reaction of the coaches.

The field house will have stone (schist) on the side facing Easton Road, in harmony with Grey Towers Castle. The side facing the campus will have glass, giving panoramic views of the campus from a new great room that will have a fireplace. The meeting room (a bit larger than the pavilion that overlooks Blankley Field and the Weiss Tennis Courts) will be large enough for receptions with the athletes and their parents and supporters, but also will be available for University and alumni gatherings. The building will have bathrooms, a trainer’s room, and storage. It will have patios on the sides, and the bleachers will be movable to allow for cook-outs and parties, reunions and recreational activities.The entire complex will be accessible through a new pathway.

The versatility of the space adds another much-needed meeting and special event venue for the campus community. “We are committed to having the field ready for play when the teams gather in August,” noted Macchi, “and we hope the space will go online shortly afterward, in time for the Fall semester.”