Orchard Park nears debut of playing field
The Orchard Park Quakers will play their first football game on the new synthetic turf Sept. 5.
Finishing touches are being put on the field at Orchard Park Central High School after a three-month construction.
“Most of the teams are going to play at least half of their home games on there,” said Athletic Director James R. Higgins Jr., adding that the school will schedule as many games as possible on the field for the district’s teams.
That includes field hockey, boys and girls soccer, and modified and freshman sports like football, that can be played on Thursdays without damaging the turf for Friday contests.
“Now, because we have the field, we don’t have to worry about tearing the field up,” Higgins said.
The Quaker Athletic Foundation raised $528,000, which represents the local share of the $1.8 million cost of installing the synthetic athletic turf.
Several others stepped up to help out with in-kind services. Higgins said RMF Construction added fencing around the perimeter of the complex and will be installing pavers along the main entrance to the field, as well as stamped concrete in the same area. Mader Construction is donating carpentry work in the high school gym, boys and girls locker rooms and field house, he said.
Construction crews lost seven or eight days because of rain this summer but still finished in time for the athletic season.
There will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony before the first home football game against Kenmore West at 7 p. m. Sept. 5.
