Local News - December 2003

Stadium almost completed

North’s athletic fields to be ready by February

By SARAH GRANO, Staff Writer

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A semester after North Lincoln High School students first entered their new building, construction work continues on the school’s athletic fields.

“I can’t blame everything on the rain at this point,” said Rick Freeman, North Lincoln’s principal.

“I know the rain slowed us down a good bit, but the facility was supposed to be finished last spring, and we’re now coming up on 12 months from that time.”

The football stadium and ball fields should be completed by February, according to the school’s site manager, Jim Libhart.

Whether students can use the athletic fields some time this school year remains debatable.

“Even if we can use it, it won’t be an ideal situation, but we’re hoping to get some use out of it,” Freeman said.

The fields are currently covered in mud and hay. If enough grass does not grow by the spring athletic season, the school will bus students to other locations for sports practice.

“It’s just barely growing,” Libhart said of the grass. “It just barely came up this last warm spell.”

Since students left school for winter break on Dec. 19, construction has picked up its pace.

When school is in session, workers have had to work around school hours. Now, they no longer have to worry about things like using loud equipment early in the morning.

“You can’t make that noise while the kids are in there, nor can you have construction people walking around while you have kids in the building, for security reasons,” Libhart said.

Construction workers have spent time this winter break trying to finish up odds and ends in the building, which was completed in November after 26 months of work.

“We’re down to practically nothing,” Libhart said. “We’re trying this week to get our punch list done.”

The construction crew now has to focus on completing bleachers, sidewalks and concession stands.

Although the school’s tennis courts have been completed, students can’t use them until construction is done around the fields.

 Having players walk through a construction site to practice is a liability the construction company, M.B. Kahn, and the school don’t want to face.

The amount of construction that has taken place both in and out of the school has affected the new school’s students and staff.

“I can’t say enough for them. They’ve made this year work,” Freeman said. “I’d rather have a good teacher teaching in an oak tree than a bad teacher teaching in a brand new building.”

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Staff Writer Sarah Grano can be reached at 704-735-3031 or sgrano@ltnews.com

© 2001 Lincoln Times-News  

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