North, Memorial High Schools Get Turf Football Fields
ultimately, all football and soccer games will be played at new venues
In addition to The Sonnentag, UW-Eau Claire’s new multi-use complex, two other athletic facilities in Eau Claire make their debut this autumn, as new venues for football and soccer have been constructed at North and Memorial high schools. Each consists of artificial turf fields, a bleacher stand with capacity for 1,500 people, a press box for media and team personnel atop the stand, and light towers. Together, the projects at both schools cost $5.5 million.
According to Jeff Nestor, general manager of facilities for the Eau Claire Area School District, the fields are unusual in that they have a shock pad installed for protection. After research and facility visits, Midwest Sport and Turf Systems was selected as the turf provider. This type of artificial turf, Nestor says, is “different than what it was 15 years ago, 10 years ago, and even five years ago. This is the new generation of it, so as close as we possibly could get to natural conditions, that’s what we shot for. I think we came pretty close on it.” The same turf brand was also installed at the Sonnentag Fieldhouse.
Eventually, all levels of Huskies and Old Abes football and soccer games will be played at the new venues, though construction allows for limited action this autumn. According to Nestor, marching band competitions are also a possibility for the fields.
As for the next phase, there could be more spectator capacity along the sides of the initial bleachers. “We’d like to expand a little bit to add more seating,” he says.
