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Fundraising drive kicks off for sports complex in Boardman
BOARDMAN
A campaign to build a $4 million regional sports complex on the Boardman High School campus is under way.
The Boardman Booster Club announced the campaign Friday at a press conference in the high-school gym, and the club’s Legends & Legacies Committee is leading the effort.
Booster Club President Bill Bonte is the committee’s chairman, with Boardman alumni Carlee Tressel and Dave Dravecky are serving as honorary chairwoman and chairman of the committee.
“It’s not going to be easy; It’s a formidable campaign,” Bonte said.
The centerpiece of the complex would be a stadium with 3,500 home seats, 2,400 visitor seats, all-season synthetic turf field, enclosed press box, locker rooms, a scoreboard, all-weather track resurfacing, restrooms and ticket and concession booths.
The stadium would be next to the existing baseball field at the high school. The complex would be used for all sports, such as football, soccer and track.
Bonte said it makes more sense to move the stadium to where high school students are than to renovate the existing facility at Boardman Center Middle School.
The 250-member Booster Club is contributing $100,000 and has underwritten a feasibility study and master plan with architects and planners. The complex will be funded entirely by donations, Bonte said.
The club became interested in the project after voters rejected a bond issue in 2006 that would have upgraded the district’s buildings and added a stadium.
Football coach Mark D’Eramo said there is a need for a complex that would be available for the district’s athletic and physical-education programs.
“This will be the final piece in the puzzle on campus,” he said.
Tressel agreed and said new facilities will inspire student-athletes and set a high standard.
“We do want to be up to par or better than our competitors,” she said. The committee is reaching out to other schools without home stadiums to participate in the funding process and could then share official home-field status at the complex. So far, no schools have committed, but once the complex is built, it could be rented out, as well, Bonte said.
The timetable for construction is completely dependent on the fundraising campaign. Those interested in participating can call the campaign office at 330-406-7598.