Check out the new Barrington High School stadium
With a Nerf football in hand, Barrington Area Unit District 220 school board members held an unofficial christening of the high school's new athletic stadium Tuesday.
Just 10 days before its scheduled opening, school board member Jeff Nordquist took the opportunity during Tuesday's tour of the stadium to be the first to toss the football around the new field.
"This is outstanding," said school board President Brian Battle during the tour. "The community will be very excited."
The stadium's bright green synthetic turf, with white lines and bright red Barrington logos, drew a lot of praise.
"The colors are wonderful, and the field just looks terrific," school board member Jeff Church said.
Pepper Construction's Dan Nowak said everything is on schedule to be finished by the stadium's big unveiling on Aug. 29 when the Barrington football team opens the season against Libertyville High.
"We got some finishing touches, but we are going to get it cleaned up in time for the first game," Nowak said.
The last major portion of the project, the installation of a Jumbotron scoreboard, starts today.
In April 2007, voters agreed to spend $4.4 million to rebuild the stadium, which had a torn-up track, dirt infield and stands that weren't up to the Americans With Disabilities Act guidelines.
The new stadium has an eight-lane track and a larger field surface for football, soccer and lacrosse. New bleachers will accommodate 2,500 home fans and 1,500 visitors.
After not having a home track meet for the past two years because of the stadium's conditions, the runners will really enjoy the track's new surface, Nowak said.
"You can feel a real spring in your step," he said.
The scoreboard, the field's synthetic turf and restrooms have all been paid for through private donations raised by the Friends of the Stadium group.
It has amassed more than $1 million, including a combined $475,000 from Wickstrom Ford, Cancer Treatment Centers of America and the Wiseman family. For 10 years, their donations will be acknowledged with signs at the stadium.
Battle said those extra amenities are what make the stadium really special.
"They really do help make that stadium a better facility," Battle said.
To celebrate the stadium's opening night, Barrington alum and former Chicago Bears safety Gary Fencik will participate in the ribbon-cutting ceremony and serve as the game's honorary captain.
A Dixieland band will be on hand to welcome people, and a fireworks show will follow the game.
"We have some nice things planned to really play this up," said Superintendent Tom Leonard.
The official ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place before the first game's 7 p.m. kickoff.