Proposal Introduced For New Athletic Field For Lakewood Schools

LAKEWOOD, OH — If the Lakewood Board of Education takes action on a recent proposal, than work could begin shortly on the installation of a multi-purpose field in the north lot across from Lakewood High School. Superintendent Jeff Patterson recommended the Board take action on transforming the lot at the Aug. 7 Board meeting. A request for bids on the project will go out shortly, Patterson told Patch, and then the Board will need to select a contractor.

The Board promised at the beginning of the Facilities Master Plan implementation that it would return the north lot to a field and parking lot, once construction was complete. The district said in a statement on its website that the focus of the work would be installation of a softball field. There could also be room for other teams, like soccer, rugby, football and track and field to practice and compete.

The district also said, if the Board acts promptly once bids start coming in, the field could be installed by the end of November 2017. That means the field would be open to teams in Spring 2018. Patterson said the request for bids on the project will go out "any day now."

Initial estimates for the transformation of the lot project a price tag of $500,000—$600,000. Patterson said the real cost of the project won't be known until bids start coming in.

"This is an incredibly exciting development for our student athletes and our music program," Patterson told Patch.

In the proposal delivered at the Aug. 7 Board meeting, the history of the north lot is recounted. The lot existed as a playing field until 2006 when modular units were installed.

The proposed field would include turf infield and a grass outfield, protected dugouts, a batting cage, a fixed electronic scoreboard, removable home run fencing, bleacher seating, a press box and more. The field would be home to softball and track and field in the spring, soccer preseason conditioning and band camp in the summer, freshmen football, boys and girl soccer practice, cheerleading and marching band practice in the fall, and preseason boys and girls rugby training in the winter.

The full proposal given Aug. 7 can be viewed by clicking here. A diagram of the proposed multi-purpose field can be viewed here.

Photo from Rick Uldricks, Patch