Soccer fields at the complex will be naturally turfed for players in the fall. 

Renovations for the Louisiana PepperPlex are slated to be a summer long project as the City of New Iberia begins to use a dedicated source of funding for the first time dedicated solely to the facility. The city approved a $3 million bond in February for the purpose of upgrading and revamping the PepperPlex, which is regularly used to host little league games and other programs for young people in the area. Mayor Freddie DeCourt said the plan for the PepperPlex improvements are on pace with construction to begin in earnest in July. “We met with our architects last week, we have a plan,” DeCourt said on Tuesday. With increased competition from other sports complexes in Acadiana, the upgrades are an attempt to stay in competition and keep sports leagues here in the area.For years, the PepperPlex had been maintained mostly by a dedicated group of volunteers who mowed, organized and maintained the facility at no cost. The takeover of the facility by the City of New Iberia last year has allowed the possibility for funding and other improvements for the first time in years. Funds for the bond will add new turf to the six baseball/softball infields, add drainage improvements, install sidewalks, improve the batting cages at the facility, add signage, add a new concession stand and restrooms, perform landscaping work, lighting the large field, resurfacing the soccer field and lighting the soccer field. The City Council approved a contract to begin adding new turf to the soccer fields at the PepperPlex, which will use natural turf and not artificial turf sometime in the summer. The LSU AgCenter has recently assisted with obtaining soil samples at the PepperPlex so that the right turf will be used for the PepperPlex fields. The contract was awarded to Complete Turf Care and is expected to begin in about a month, DeCourt said. The hiring of a director for the PepperPlex was also recently approved, with Richard Romero becoming the first full-time director for the facility. Construction work is expected to begin sometime in the summer for the major renovations, with the hope that soccer players in the fall will see great improvements to their athletic experience at the PepperPlex.