The project has brought soccer to the heart of Atlanta
‘MARTA Guide’, the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority destination planner tool, named ‘Station Soccer – Five Points’ as one of the biggest wins that moved us forward in 2016. The choice came after an extensive evaluation of all transit accomplishments MARTA enjoyed during the last year.
Described as “Unique in the World” by ‘MARTA Guide’, the new soccer field at Five Points Station is the first pitch at a train station. Funded by the Atlanta United Foundation, the field occupies a formerly unused street-level amphitheater at the MARTA station.
‘Soccer in the Streets, an Atlanta based non-profit empowering youth through sports-based training, character development, mentoring, and employability programs, is the organization behind ‘Station Soccer’. The project is seeking to bring access to children that are usually ‘frozen out’ of the sport through easy transportation, while establishing a model for modern urban soccer.
‘Station Soccer – Five Points’ organizes adult leagues and pick-up games for a donation fee, which allows youth programs to be offered for free. ‘MARTA Guide’ highlights that although the soccer field is half the size of a regulation field, the location makes playing there twice as fun — plus, it’s super easy to get to on MARTA. ‘Station Soccer’ has become a flagship for urban soccer, and the organization is planning to replicate what has been done at Five Points inside or near ten other metro stations.
Besides ‘Station Soccer’, other stories picked as biggest wins that moved us forward in 2016 include: the City of Atlanta Voters Approve Transportation Funding, Bike Sharing Arriving to Atlanta, MARTA sound financing model, and the Beltline moving forward as planned.