Ground was broken last week for a major sports complex to be constructed on Hamilton High School grounds south of the schools parking lot. School administrators, Board members, teachers and coaches and several football, track and soccer players turned out for the occasion.
The new sports complex, estimated to cost roughly $4 million, is one part of a $9.7 million bond package passed by the voters in May 2017.
Hamilton School District Superintendent Tom Korst said that a few feet of earth would be removed from the whole area in order to lay down the proper base for construction of the football/soccer fields and the track. He said after a lot of research and discussion the Board had decided to move forward with the use of artificial turf.
Although work began last week, officials were reticent to say that there will be any track or football played on the new fields until next spring.
“There is an outside possibility that we could play a few football games next fall, but we are not counting on it,” said Korst. “Track will probably not start until next spring.”
The planned stadium seats will hold 1500 people. The existing stands at Haynes Field hold 1100.
He said the old Haynes Field would still be used for practice. The longterm future of Haynes Field, he said, was a path with many options.