Antioch High to celebrate it's 'field of dreams' Saturday

It's been five years in the making, but land previously used as a dumping ground for waste is finally home to some of Antioch's nicest sports fields.

Antioch Community High School on Saturday will celebrate the opening of McMillen Field with a daylong event featuring music and sports.

"We're expecting thousands of people, and have a ton of great things for families planned," said Mike Nekritz, the school's principal.

The $3.2 million McMillen Field, located off Route 173 east of the high school's football stadium, includes 12 tennis courts, three soccer fields, three softball fields and concession stands.

"We had a scout out looking at a player the other day and he said he hasn't seen many Division II schools with as nice of fields," Nekritz said. "Is it perfect yet? No, but we're excited to get it up and running, and it looks good."

The community will get a chance to see the new fields Saturday during the event dubbed "Sequoit Summer."

The celebration begins at 9 a.m. with a 5K run and will include day-long sports tournaments, music by Jamie Buckley, Voodoo Cadillac and The August, along with food, crafts and kids activities.

McMillen Field was built on Waste Management's former H.O.D. Corp. landfill site, which hasn't been in operation since 1984.

William Plunkett, a consultant for Waste Management, said opening the fields is one of the best examples in the country of a beneficial reuse of land.

In addition to the former landfill being used for athletic fields, Plunkett said methane gas produced by the landfill supplies heat and electricity to the school, saving thousands of dollars annually.

"The project is truly amazing," Plunkett said. "The landfill has become a community asset."

Before McMillien Field was built, Antioch students had to travel to participate in sports. The tennis team played at Lakes Community High School, softball teams played at the Lake Villa Township building and soccer games were played sometimes as far away as Wisconsin.

"This took longer than initially projected and it was more costly, but the fields are there now and they will be put to very good use in Antioch," said Antioch-Lake Villa Area High School District 117 Superintendent Jay Sabatino.

Sequoit Summer

Where: McMillen Field, off Route 173 in Antioch, just east of the high school football stadium

When: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday

Events: For a complete schedule, visit www.sequoits. com/Activities/sequoit summerschedule08.html