LIMA — Perry schools will improve the district’s football stadium and track soon.
The district is replacing the stadium’s 50-year-old scaffolding-style grandstands and will also use money from the $819,000 loan it secured from municipal financing to repair the track.
“The biggest difference with the new seating is it’s all ADA accessible and up to code now, so it’s very safe,” Perry Superintendent Kelly Schooler said. “Obviously the old seating being 50 years old did not have that, so this is the biggest thing that we’re excited about.”
Right now, the district has already taken out the old seating and is putting in footers for the new bench-style replacements set to be up by July.
“We’re super excited,” Schooler added. “It’s definitely modest event seating, but it’s in keeping with the past in terms of its high quality. It will last us a long time, and we’re very excited about it.”
Decisions about how to proceed on the track, such as selecting a vendor, still need to be made and will not be due until this winter. First, Perry families will get the chance to celebrate the new improvements in the fall.
“At our first home football game this fall, we’ll be having a grand opening to show off our new seating and our new health clinic in partnership with Health Partners of Western Ohio,” Schooler said. “It’s a beautiful 900-foot clinic with three examination rooms provided by a grant, and it’s completely finished, so we’ll be showing that off as well.”
The district previously installed new lights for the stadium but has no further plans in place after the track repairs.
Schooler said because of the municipal financing plan, taxpayers will not be asked for additional taxes for any of the projects.
She also added that the success of these plans is thanks to a supportive community.
“We have a 100% pass rate when it comes to our local funding from our community,” she said, “so we are very grateful that the community has supported us. We’re going to take the time to celebrate our new seating and all of the work that went into it, and we’ll look at what’s next.”
Reach Jacob Espinosa at 567-242-0399.
