Mooseheart unveils field house renovation
Mooseheart is in a particularly celebratory mood these days.
On Friday, it flipped the switch on its first holiday lights display.
And last week it finished $3 million worth of renovations to its stadium and field house complex.
Both stories meet on the new west bleachers of the stadium, where Santa and his reindeer are captured in mid-takeoff.
The private residential school, run by the fraternal Moose International organization, tore apart the field house and stadium starting in May.
It installed artificial turf on the stadium field.
The last touch was covering the unused indoor track surface in the field house with red paint, which matches the repainted walls, the new field house bleachers and the refinished basketball court.
It also renovated the concession stand area restrooms and locker rooms.
“It really shaped up to be something nice and something to treasure. As visiting teams come in, I think they are really going to appreciate it,” said Scott Hart, Mooseheart's executive director, in a prepared statement.
The project, paid for by the Ohio State Moose Association, included a new roof.
The girls' basketball team christened the court with a Nov. 16 game.
The school will get to show off the field house when it hosts IHSA Class 1A boys basketball playoff sectionals and girls basketball playoff regionals this winter.
The field house is also rented out to the community.
“I think that (when) Moose members, some of whom have faithfully come to our graduation ceremonies for years and years, arrive on June 4, 2011, for commencement, it's going to be an eye-opener,” Hart said. “There is definitely a ‘wow' factor when you come in and see a facility like this.”
You can see it when visiting Santa Claus in the field house Dec. 11-12 and Dec. 17-19. The field house is at the end of the holiday lights display route. On those nights, cookies, hot chocolate and coffee will be available.
The campus has 81 lighted displays that can be seen on a 1.8-mile drive. It is open from 6 to 10 p.m. daily now through Jan. 1. Admission is $10 per carload, with a $2 coupon available for those visiting Mondays through Thursdays. For a coupon and more information about the displays, visit mooseheart.org.
Mooseheart is on the west side of Route 31, between Batavia and North Aurora.
About 230 students, ranging in age from preschoolers to high school seniors, live at Mooseheart and attend its elementary and high schools. Applications for admission to Mooseheart are considered from any family whose children lack a stable home environment.