The stadium field at Oak Park High School is being replaced and upgraded this Spring. The aim is to finish the project before the graduation of the Class of 2021.

The field was inspected by the district and they found that it needed an upgrade after 10 years of use. It was noted in the report that the turf in the endzones had endured wear and tear over the years. 

The project will cost the district over $1 million which includes renovating the field and upgrading the track around the field. The plan includes roughly $650,000 for the total costs of removing the turf and installing new turf to the field.

The plan also includes over $400,000 in additions to the field that will improve the safety of the student athletes playing on the field. These additions include a shock pad that is paved in place with the aim to increase safety. The district is also putting another approximately $166,000 into installing turf in the surrounding area around the track in order to create a good place for student athletes to warm up and stretch. 

“It’s really just increasing space, it will allow more teams to be out there,” Assistant Principal Jason Meskis said at a district board meeting.

The district also implemented some other improvements in the additions to the field, including track restriping, extra turf in the endzones and lacrosse goals and nets. 

The district held a meeting where it was unanimously agreed that they implement the plan to replace the field this year. 

“We won’t be replacing for 12 years, that will be the goal of the new turf,” Assistant Superintendent of Business and Administrative Services Adam Rauch said at the board meeting.

The construction for the field will be done by Hellas Construction who also installed the turf on the field 10 years ago.

Many sports, including football and cross country, were shifted into spring due to COVID-19 cases. 

With the installation of the new turf on the field, sports cannot be played on the upper field and practices have been moved to the lower field. For lacrosse and football, practices have been moved to the field at Brookside. 

The project is intended to be completed before graduation so the field can be used by the students in the Class of 2021.