Purdue Obtains Approval to Purchase Dowling Park Sports Fields | Government and politics

INDIANAPOLIS | Purdue University is set to spend $ 3.5 million to purchase the Dowling Park outdoor sports complex in the town of Hammond for recreational and student use.

The state budget committee on Friday authorized Purdue trustees to complete their acquisition of 15 acres of urban parkland containing all-weather synthetic fields for baseball, softball and football – each designed for college competition – as well. as tennis courts, spectator seating, a concession stand, washrooms and a service building.

The fields will be used primarily by the 212 student-athletes of Purdue University Calumet and Purdue North Central who participate in 12 varsity sports.

But the 15,000 students who attend Purdue University Northwest, once the Calumet campus is combined with North Central in July 2016, will also have access to facilities for intramural activities.

Continued public use of the park, especially in the summer when student-athletes are not on campus, will be available for at least 20 years, depending on the purchase plan.

Purdue Calumet currently has no outdoor sports facilities on its landlocked Hammond campus. Dowling Park is 1.25 miles east of campus.

The university’s softball and baseball teams were already using Dowling Park in the spring, and the men’s and women’s soccer programs will play home games there this fall.