New Soccer venue opens at East Lake MARTA Station
Soccer enthusiasts of all age groups can now enjoy playing at the East Lake MARTA Station in Decatur, thanks to the inauguration of StationSoccer at East Lake on Friday, Oct. 27. This initiative was celebrated by Soccer in the Streets, MARTA, and other partners.
East Lake’s soccer fields mark the sixth StationSoccer venue. Adult matches are already on the calendar, and approximately 350 children have registered to play at this station.
The official launch of StationSoccer at East Lake Station was commemorated with a community event and friendly soccer matches, sponsored by Amazon. This event was a collaborative effort involving the cities of Decatur and Atlanta, Atlanta United Community Fund, Georgia Power, and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, as mentioned in a press release.
Decatur’s Mayor, Patti Garrett, expressed her enthusiasm about the new fields. She recalled discussions with Soccer in the Streets a few years back about introducing StationSoccer to East Lake. The initiative had been in the pipeline even before the COVID-19 outbreak. The Decatur City Commission had greenlit a plan for the MARTA station years prior. Angela Threadgill, the Planning and Economic Development Director, mentioned a 2018 Livable Centers Initiative study of the East Lake MARTA Station. This study explored various potential uses for the parking lots, with StationSoccer being one of them.
Mayor Garrett reminisced about attending the StationSoccer inauguration at the Kensington station the previous year. She had conversed with Soccer in the Streets during that time, hoping East Lake would be the subsequent location. She also appreciated the backing from U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, MARTA, and other entities in realizing this project.
StationSoccer aims to establish a citywide network of soccer fields linked by MARTA, culminating in a 10-station league easily accessible via transit. The project has seen expansions to West End in 2018, East Point in 2019, and both Kensington and Lindbergh Center in 2022.
In anticipation of the 2026 World Cup, MARTA and Soccer in the Streets have plans to inaugurate four additional StationSoccer venues. Greenwood emphasized that each new soccer field enhances the value of the existing ones.
