Last year the Lucy Winton Bell Athletic Fields (LWBAF) celebrated their 10th anniversary. Since they opened in 2000, the LWBAF have hosted over 70,000 visits every year and become a beloved part of this community. Youth from 13 surrounding communities come to play soccer, baseball, softball, and football throughout the spring, summer, and fall.
In the late 1990s, community leaders and representatives from the St. Croix Soccer Club and the St. Croix Valley Athletic Association approached the Belwin Conservancy asking to buy land from the organization. The Belwin Conservancy could not sell our protected land outright, but did commit to building a youth athletic complex at our preserve. This led to the Belwin Conservancy man- aging the facility in addition to owning it.
For ten years, the Belwin Conservancy has operated the Lucy Winton Bell Athletic Fields on behalf of the leagues, athletes and the families who use it. This has been a successful arrangement, but we feel that the community will be served even more effectively if there is a direct connection between the management of the fields and the users.
This year for the first time, the Belwin Conservancy is proud to be turning over the day-to-day operation of the LWBAF to the St. Croix Soccer Club, one of the primary users of the fields. The Belwin Conservancy will continue to maintain ownership of the complex ensuring the integrity of our larger preserve. And the users of the LWBAF should continue to benefit from some of the finest athletic facilities in the Metro.
We look forward to continuing to host the Lucy Winton Bell Athletic Fields, their many users and visitors for decades to come!