Booster Club, Stadium Neighbors Agree on Acceptable Sound Levels

Warren Township High School's football stadium at the O'Plaine Road campus in Gurnee has been made quieter with improvements that should make a nearby residential neighborhood very happy.

During the last six months, the noise level at the O'Plaine stadium grew increasingly loud and disturbing for the surrounding neighbors. Warren High administrators developed a plan to improve the quality and volume, but it was going to cost almost $35,000.

With the help and support of Warren Athletic Booster Club President Tony Yarbrough and Vice President Vince Siragusa, this project was completed for a lot less money. The school district saved more than $25,000.

With the assistance of the O'Plaine facility manager and the physical work by Yarbrough and Siragusa, the project was launched and the sound system was upgraded during the summer months so the stadium would be ready for the start of the new school year.

Recently, Superintendent Mary Perry Bates, Warren administrators, stadium sound experts, and more than 20 neighbors met to test the volume levels of the sound system.

Everyone was pleased with the new sound levels and very appreciative of having school officials and booster club volunteers working together to solve the noise problem, school officials said.

At an Aug. 20 meeting, the school board recognized the hard work of Yarbrough and Siragusa and expressed their appreciation for the countless hours they spent trenching and running wires to connect the new speakers on the visitors' section light poles, the scoreboard for future digital access, and improved speakers on the press box.

"We are very thankful for the efforts of these two gentlemen. We are appreciative for the many hours they worked to make this project a reality, and that they could show that Warren High School can and will be good neighbors while still providing the best for our student athletes and coaches," said Mark Pos, athletic director.