UKIAH, CA – The Ukiah Unified School District is proud to announce that construction is set to begin in September on a new all-weather regulation size football and sports field on the north side of the Ukiah High School campus. If all goes according to plan, the field could be finished this winter, in time for part of the 2021-22 soccer season. But it will depend on how quickly the rains start and how much rain we get.
“It’s a proud moment for Ukiah Unified. We’ve been dreaming of an area like this for years, and now it will be a reality in a few months. I can’t tell you how excited I am for our student-athletes, who will now have the opportunity to play on a world-class field! Our students deserve it. I want to thank our community because we could not have done this without the support of our voters and the adoption of Measure A,” said Deb Kubin, Ukiah Unified Superintendent.
The design and development phases of the project were completed in March 2021, and a public review of California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) documentation took place from June to July of this year. The district received no public comment and the extensive environmental impact process was reviewed and accepted by Ukiah’s Unified Trustees with a unanimous vote at their August 19, 2021 meeting.
Verde Design, Inc., a California-based company specializing in high school and college sports facilities, was the landscape architect for the field project. GHD managed the CEQA environmental review process, which requires public bodies to consider the environmental consequences of their actions before approving a project. Counterpoint Construction Services, based in Santa Rosa, will manage the construction of the land. FRC, Inc. of Windsor is the general contractor.
Ukiah’s Unified Maintenance, Operations and Transportation Manager, Gabrial Sherman, said, “Any school construction project in California can be challenging at the best of times, but this project has been hard work. love from the start. The passion and drive of our local stakeholders to provide a state-of-the-art facility for our children has been inspiring. Their vision, combined with the first-class design and construction team we have assembled, will result in something truly special that will benefit our community for many years to come.
An all-weather sports and physical education field for Ukiah Unified and our community was a key selling point in the successful Measure A bond election in March 2020. The 7.9 million all-weather field dollars is one of many Measure A projects planned to benefit Ukiah schools.
In addition to constructing the football field, the project also includes LED lighting upgrades for the Ukiah High School football stadium and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) improvements near the new football field. and the football stadium. ADA improvements include a paved driveway to the new North Field, new signs at parking entrances, and replacement or repair of nearby parking spaces, including ramps and truncated domes.
Stephen Summers, Director of Athletics at Ukiah High School, said, “We are thrilled with the addition of our facilities and to see the soccer complex come to fruition. The soccer program is the fastest growing program at Ukiah High School, and they will now have their own space to continue growing and taking the next step towards constant competition at the North Bay League (NBL) level. ) and the North Coast Section (NCS). I think this facility is a great addition to Ukiah High as a whole.
The new pitch will have many more uses than football. Several Ukiah Unified facilities committees and community sports groups have identified the need for an all-weather lit sports field at Ukiah High School. Ukiah Unified physical education departments and other sports teams will eventually use the all-weather field for classes and practices. Specifically, when it is raining or wet from rain, the field will allow physical education departments and other sports teams to continue outdoors on the all-weather surface.
“The new off-road course will be a fantastic addition to our district and it supports our goal of providing the best possible opportunities for our students. The pitch doesn’t just benefit our football teams, our community as a whole will benefit,” said Megan Van Sant, Chair of Ukiah’s Unified Board of Directors. “Our football programs will have a home, we will be able to attract more visitors to our region with tournaments and other events, and the beautiful ground will inspire more physical activity, which will help improve health and well-being. -to be.”
Visit www.uusd.net for more information and news about Ukiah Unified or contact Doug Shald, UUSD Communications and Community Engagement Manager at [email protected] or 707-472-5005 for any question.
