Athletes advocate for lights in Dist. 87

Glenbard High School District 87 board members have now heard from those on both sides of the debate about installing lights at Memorial Field at Glenbard West High School.

Earlier this month, opponents of the light installation filled the basement of the district’s headquarters, many telling board members that the lights would lead to increased noise and congestion in their neighborhood.

On Monday, the majority of residents who filled the Glenbard West library for the district board meeting spoke in favor of the lights — many of them student-athletes arguing that they would be able to get greater usage of the field by being able to practice there at night.

Alex Lekacz, a junior at Glenbard West and lacrosse player, told board members he and his teammates often wake up before dawn to practice at Spaulding and Hoffman Parks in Glen Ellyn because of limited practice time at Memorial Field at Glenbard West.

“We won’t need to go to another location to practice if lights are installed,” Lekacz said.

Karen Judge, a longtime coach at Glenbard West, said traffic patterns in the fall and spring wouldn’t be any different from what it is in the winter, when the nearby field house is utilized until 9 p.m. on some nights.

She said installing lights would add to previous field enhancements made on site.

“To not take the next step would just set us back again. It’s a beautiful facility. If we don’t use it for the full usage, it would be a waste of all your hard work and talent and money,” Judge told board members.

But following comments from about 30 audience members, some board members expressed reservations that the district was moving too fast on the lighting issue.

Board Member Steve Sebby said it’s likely the lights will go in one day, but that voting on a variance application at the next board meeting March 7 was too soon.

“There’s a multitude of questions that haven’t even been thought of,” Sebby said. “As soon as we vote on this, we’re sending a solid indicator to the community of what our intention is.”

Board Member Yadav Nathwani agreed that the light proposal was moving too fast. He said it’s only been discussed for three months, when a similar proposal at Oak Park River Forest High School took six years until it was finally approved.

Board Member Richard Heim said the district is pushing too hard and not being thoughtful enough upfront.

“We pull the trigger way too fast on big items,” Heim said. “Not that this isn’t an important issue, but I think it’s sort of a ‘ready, aim, fire situation.’”

Board President Rose Malcolm asked board members what more they were looking for by delaying a vote.

Chris McClain, the district’s assistant superintendent for business services, said officials believe they’ve listened and responded to concerns community members have raised.”