Artificial turf field at Tiger Stadium to be ready by August 1
LOVELAND, OHIO - “This will be the largest gift ever to the Loveland District,” said Loveland Athletic Booster President Jeff Williams. “And we only started one year ago in May of 2008.” Williams was in attendance at the Loveland Board of Education meeting on Tuesday where the Board voted unanimously to accept the donation of a Turf field installed at Tiger Stadium.
The entire $500,000 project will be fully financed by the Boosters, with no District funds being used. The Boosters say that in fact the turf will save the District money by reducing the high cost of maintaining a grass surface, and eliminate the need throughout the entire community of building more athletic playing and practice fields. The new playing surface can be used 24/7, 12 months of the year by athletic and other community events.
“The Loveland Athletic Boosters with the support of our entire community are now in a positive position to make our Tiger Turf dream a reality,” said Williams. He said that although the turf installation is going forward, their fund raising must continue to pay down a loan they secured to go ahead with the installation at a time the cost was reduced, and before the price escalated in the future.
“Loveland athletics and the entire Loveland community cannot thank the Booster club enough for their generosity,” said Jeff Zidron, the Athletic Director at Loveland High School. Zidron pointed out that that the new turf field surface will serve over 10,000 Loveland students over its expected lifespan. He said it was one of the “most important facility improvements in the school history.”
Immediately following their “Yes” vote, Board members Linda Pennington and Christine Olsen simultaneously said to the Boosters, “I am very thankful.”
Williams said that there is a “burning desire” by the Boosters to get the entire project paid off within the next 18 months. He said that even with the state of the current economy and “tough times” the Boosters have, “accomplished something that will last a long, long time.” He said that some local groups who have installed artificial turf have taken as long as eight years to pay for their projects. He stressed that the entire Loveland community helped. “It has been a community group effort.”
After the meeting, Music Booster President, Jan Bush said that the new turf surface at the stadium will benefit the Loveland High School Marching Band. She said one of the ways it will help is to attract marching bands to their annual Drums Along The Little Miami marching band contest. “When bands are choosing which competitions to enter, artificial turf is often a deciding factor.”
You too, can make a donation to help pay down the loan by clicking here.
