New turf, digital scoreboard among recent improvements at Woodridge High School
Good things come to those who wait.
The students and staff at Woodridge High School had to wait longer than anticipated for upgrades to the school's athletic facilities but were able to celebrate the reopening of the facilities Sept. 23. A ribbon-cutting and dedication preceded the homecoming football game that night.
High school football results:High school scores/schedules: Sept. 23
Background:Woodridge plans $1.1 million upgrade to athletic facilities
In addition to the turf, installation of a new digital scoreboard started on Sept. 13, schools Superintendent Walter Davis said. The last upgrade scheduled is resurfacing the track, which will happen after the field is complete.
The district had to move two of its previously scheduled home games to another school, Davis said, to accommodate the construction.
Work was supposed to have started this past spring, but like many projects in the past couple of years, there were delays, including with the permitting process.
The upgrades cost around $1.1 million, which includes the new turf, digital scoreboard, leveling the track surface, and renovating the long jump runway and the pole vault area.
These upgrades were funded through financing from Huntington Bank, and the scoreboard was partially founded by the Woodridge Athletic Booster Club, which donated $50,000, Davis said.
More work still remains. Renovations also are planned for the softball complex, including installing a waterline, adding a new sound system, adding bleachers for spectators and trimming the trees.
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"We are about to do a major upgrade to the field itself, and that work will occur sometime this fall," Davis said. "There is still some other work to be done there as well. But it isn’t softball season yet, so we have time."
Davis also said excavation and facing will take place on the district's State Road property. This work is being done with the parks and recreation department in Cuyahoga Falls; it will not be completed until the end of the year.
"The property will be transformed into a large multipurpose playing field, adding significant green space to the Woodridge Elementary School complex for use by the district and the community," Davis said. "It is our intention to name that facility Edwards Field after Roger Edwards, who served the district for many years as an administrator and superintendent."
Reporter April Helms can be reached at ahelms@thebeaconjournal.com
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Woodridge celebrates new athletic facility upgrades
