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CW stadium renovations underway
(by Linda Dillman - July 26, 2010)
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| Messenger photo by Linda Dillman |
| Workers roll out artificial turf across the field in Canal Winchester's Mike Locke Stadium in preparation for the upcoming sports season. More than half a million dollars through donations and pledges from individuals and businesses is funding the project at no cost to school district taxpayers. |
It's not your mother's Astroturf.
The lush plastic carpet blanketing a bed of gravel at the Mike Locke Stadium in Canal Winchester is a far cry from the fake grass that first sprung up in sporting venues 40 years ago. The material now being installed on the field at Canal Winchester High School not only looks more like its natural counterpart, it also is a safer playing surface than previous generations of artificial turf.
"This is not the same Astroturf you saw in the 1970s," said Canal Winchester Athletic Director Kent Riggs during a July 23 site visit. "This style came out about 10 years ago and is much more grass-like. There will also be a mix of sand and ground-up tires poured on the surface to soften the field."
Riggs said, in Phase I, they're installing the new turf, putting in a new entry way, and constructing a wall recognizing all of the people and businesses who have donated or pledged donations to the project.
"We're also making a few improvements around the Hall of Fame Wall-protecting it and dressing it up a little," said Riggs.
In addition to rolling out thousands of yards of green artificial turf, workers from the Sports Construction Group also served as seamstress - stitching up gaps in the seams of the turf by hand in the 90-degree-plus weather.
Stone masons, baking in the summer sun and flanked by pallets of blocks, worked on the new entrance, which features a wrought iron entrance gate topped by an arch featuring Locke's name. Riggs said, depending on the weather, the field should be finished in time for the first home game of the season, a girl's soccer match on Aug. 24.
"We're also moving the big fence higher up on the hill, nearer the sidewalk," continued Riggs, who said the cost for first phase of the multi-phase project is approximately $540,000. "Right now, we're at about 85 percent of having reached that total dollar amount at no cost to the district."
No taxpayer money is being used for the stadium turf and improvements.
"This is a booster-driven project," said Riggs. "No general fund money is being used. It's all privately funded and they're still looking for donations. People can pledge now, but they can stretch it out over a five-year period. In Phase II, they want to add on to the bleachers on both sides of the field, which will double the seating, but we need to take care of Phase I first, before moving on to the second phase."
Anthony Riggs, a 2009 Canal Winchester graduate who is now attending Ohio University, praised the community for their involvement and dedication to the stadium renovation project.
"You don't do something like this in a community, with this type of involvement, without great people," commented the younger Riggs. "We're in unison. This is a type of situation where you have a big school, but you still have a close-knit community. The teachers care. Parents give of their time. It's still an event to come out on Friday nights to a game. You can come up with an idea, and it's easy to say someone else will do it, but the whole community really stepped up when it came to this project. The businesses stepped it up, too."
For information about the project or to make a donation or pledge, contact Riggs at 833-2155, extension 2.
| Comments (1) |
On July 30, 2010 PAUL said:
A nicc update to your previous articles. I particularly liked the line that said no tax dollars. I was nice to see its own line separated from within a paragraph |
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