An athletics complex in Northridge, Ind., is set to open as scheduled this fall despite a minor slowdown in work due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Jeff Palmer, the director of buildings and grounds for the Middlebury Community Schools district, told The Goshen News that the turfs for the baseball and softball fields should be placed by June.
“We hope to then, within the next month, have all the bleachers all finished up for football so they’ll be ready for that,” Palmer said. “And then, we’ll start to look at locker rooms; start having the health department out for inspections on the concession stand and stuff like that.”
Today was a great day to get out and fly my drone...so I decided to go check out the cool new @NHSGoRaiders Football Stadium/Baseball Fields' progress! Lots is getting done, and quick! (p.s. HMU NHS if you're looking for some more of thi$ once the stadium is complete ;)) pic.twitter.com/0g6NubTQ65
— Carson Miller (@carsonmmiller) April 2, 2020
Much of the delays were due to contractors who had to travel from Cincinnati and Louisville, where stay-at-home orders had already been put in place.
“We’re pretty close; a little past halfway (to being done),” Palmer said. “With the weather breaking a little earlier this year, we were able to really get on some of the site work and a lot of the sidewalk and concrete work done ahead of time. That’s why you see a lot of concrete trucks coming in and out.”
MCSD began construction on the facility on July 16, 2019. The football stadium will go from 4,000 to 3,000 seats on the home side, and another 1,000 seats on the visiting side. New baseball and softball fields will sit adjacent to the football stadium, and all three fields will have artificial turf. There will also be a new track installed around the football field.
Interra Credit Union has paid the school $250,000 in a five-year naming rights deal.
