Pioneer Stadium ~ 2010 ~ Where we are and how we got here!

WOO HOO!They have painted the end zones :-) WATAUGAON WATAUGA!

GO PIONEERS

This is the most recent aerial photograph of our new stadium with artificial turf installed!

Mighty Mighty Pioneers

This was the stadium when we acquired the property in 2007.

This is one of the earliest aerial photos. The stadium will be just about in the center of the lower half of the image.

My first attempt of a panoramic stitch to show the excavation of the stadium site grading and rock removal.

We were excited then, and we are still excited to see the development of a first class stadium on this site. Notice all of the rock that had to be removed to grade out the field.

This is what lies beneath the surface ~

and this too, our storm water retention system is buried under our stadium

It is a massive system of connected pipes that will hold run off storm water and gradually disperse it

Once the system was put in place it was refilled with sand and clay and graded to just about 12 inches below playing surface

Upon the graded surface, specified gravel mix was added to raise the next twelve inches

In this photo you can see the precision of the gravel grade as it is being prepared for artificial turf

The runs are in place for track long and broad jump

The rolls of turf are turned out and temporarily placed and what happens???

A mighty wind rolls through out of the west and wastes the days work overnight!

But quickly the next day all pieces are put back in place and readied for gluing

and stitching and anchoring it in place

Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas ~ well, bright green anyway!~

In these aerials you can see the scale and placement of our stadium. It is off the main parking lot on the south side of campus.

This is a field we can play on for many many years to come. The artificial turf will save us money, be environmentally green, and be more sustainable over the years than natural turf which has to be fertilized, watered, groomed, and sodded regularly at the cost of nearly $30,000 annually.

It was a wise decision to go with artificial turf on a field that will host football, soccer, lacrosse, and many other competitors for many years to come.

Now it is Done ... (all but the finish lines ;-)