Barrington trustees sign off on new high school stadium

Barrington High School has cleared its final hurdle in a bid for a new athletic stadium.

After already getting support from voters last year, the project got the final approval needed from Barrington village trustees Monday.

Trustees unanimously approved the project, which will rebuild the stadium from the ground up.

Barrington Area Unit District 220 Superintendent Tom Leonard said when finished, the new stadium will be used by not just the high school, but by numerous local youth athletic groups as well.

"This is going to be a great facility for this community," Leonard said.

Last April, voters agreed to spend $4.4 million to rebuild the stadium, which had a torn-up track, a dirt infield, and stands that were old and not up to Americans With Disabilities Act guidelines.

The new stadium will include an eight-lane track and a larger field surface for soccer and lacrosse play. New bleachers will have 2,500 seats for home fans and 1,500 for the visitors.

"It is going to be a much safer facility," Leonard said.

The only concern raised by trustees Monday was pedestrian safety in the area.

Trustees Beth Raseman and Tim Roberts said they hope that safe access points onto the school grounds for sidewalks and bike paths are included in the project.

Leonard said the school district would welcome working with the village to find a solution for those issues.

The new stadium will also include several amenities, including synthetic turf, permanent restrooms and a video scoreboard, thanks to private donations raised by the Friends of the Stadium club.

So far, the group has raised $775,000 of its $1 million goal.

Wickstrom Ford, Cancer Treatment Centers of America and the Wiseman family donated a combined $475,000. In return for the large donations, their names will be displayed on signs within the new stadium, indicating their support, for the next 10 years.

While demolition of the old bleachers has already taken place, most of the work will start in earnest in the spring.

The goal is to have the new stadium open in time for the start of the football season in August.