Athletic facility improvements ramping up at Middle School

High school facilities are taking shape

By Hub City Times staff

MARSHFIELD – Marshfield’s new athletic facilities at the high school are taking shape very quickly, while planning for improvements at the middle school are ramping up. That was the message at a public informational session held at the Marshfield Middle School May 15.

Civil engineer Dan Rossiter from the Rettler Corporation of Stevens Point did all the design work for the improvements, and said the middle school upgrades are on a fast track to completion later this year.

Rossiter said the existing middle school track will be redone, with new asphalt and a gravel drainage system. The playing surface inside Beell Stadium will be regraded, and crews will remove the west side grandstand while maintaining the eastside bleachers. Crews will also repurpose the Eighth Street ticket booth as a new press box for the grandstand.

The current practice field just to the east of Beell will get regraded this summer. A new practice-sized softball field will be added on the north end of that space, along with new discus and shot put areas. New grass-surface parking spaces will be maintained in those areas to accommodate larger crowds as well.

Meanwhile, athletic improvements around the Marshfield High School property are quickly taking shape. Joe Dolezal from the Boson Company said the new combination track-and-field and football stadium already has bleachers, a retaining wall and concession stand.

Dolezal also said the press box for the new west side bleachers is being set. East side bleachers for visiting fans will be set in mid-June. He also said the new artificial turf has been ordered and is currently being made, and Dolezal said everything at the new football stadium is at-grade, and very handicapped-accessible.

Dolezal said the new football field should be ready in time for the start of the new season in mid-August.

New softball and baseball facilities continue taking shape just south and west of the high school. Crews worked through the winter on the dugouts and press box facilities, which had student involvement through the High School’s Capstone course.

Dolezal said the new bus transfer lot is in place and working well, and he said crews will put the finishing touches on the new student parking lot just as soon as school lets out for the summer in a few weeks.