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The Springfield News-Sun digs into important stories about education, including recent coverage of expanding pre-school and Urbana’s plans to build new schools.
Some residents have pleaded for the Springfield City School Board to keep high school football games at Evans Stadium, but the district has stressed no decision has been made.
Dozens of area residents packed a Springfield City Schools Board of Education meeting late last week to ask about the stadium, 1700 Clifton Ave.
“There’s a lot of sentimental value with Evans Stadium,” Mary Dill said. “Everything has been put on the North Side. You’ve been given all the pros of why they should move to the high school. We’ve been playing at Evans Stadium for years. The parking has been the same. Catholic Central plays the Hallinean field, the parking is the same. What is the problem?”
Earlier this month, board members discussed at a public work session possibly moving high school football games from Evans Stadium, 1700 Clifton Ave. But district officials emphasized that there are no immediate plans to change where Springfield High School plays football, including no changes this year.
District staff members raised the issue with the board because they wanted input before moving forward with any capital improvement requests from the athletic department, Superintendent Bob Hill said.
Newly appointed board member Chris Williams said at the public meeting that he thinks games at the combined high school, 701 E. Home Road, could be better for students and the district for several reasons including: cost, parking congestion on game nights, and the inconvenience for student participants who must return to Springfield High on Friday evenings just to be bused to Evans and back again.
On Monday, Williams declined to comment and directed all questions to Hill or district spokeswoman Kim Fish.
Residents came to to voice their opinion during a school board meeting last week, but board members declined to discuss the issue further.
Fish reiterated on Monday that board members aren’t “on the verge of making a decision” on where football is played.
The treasurer’s office is expected to start discussions about a capital plan with the board at its first October meeting, Fish said.
There may be athletic-related items in that plan, but she said it’s too early to know what will be discussed.
“If they were to discuss that possibility, which has been discussed in the past, we would go through a long, very transparent conversation and the community would be included. This is not a decision that would be made without extensive study and community input. But … not only is (the process) not underway, it’s not even scheduled to be underway,” Fish said.
Brad Minerd, who lives on the South Side, told board members he was concerned that a community landmark would be taken away if football were moved.
“Evans Stadium is a huge piece of our community and culture. We on the south end relish that. Even though the high school is on the north end, we still have a piece of that heritage and school spirit on our side of town,” Minerd said.
As a south-ender, he said it’s a magical moment when residents can sit on the front porch and hear the voices on the loud speaker, the drum line playing and the band at halftime.
“Evans Stadium is a part of our culture and it is as much a part of our culture as South High School was,” Minerd said. “Some say that school spirit is down and community participation is down and that it would be cheaper to move to the old North High School stadium, but I disagree … I stand here today and urge you guys not take away the last bit of connection that we have to the school.”
Rev. Steve Edwards, 60, a South graduate, told board members Evans Stadium represented track, football and community events.
The former North football field is lopsided and uneven, he said, and could cause injuries while Evans is a field that’s well known among athletes.
“We’ve got to hold on. You gave South up, OK. But because of that dome, it’s still standing. If it wasn’t for that dome up there, you would have torn it down,” Edwards said. “I’m asking the board to keep Evans Stadium. Over there where the new school is at … There’s nothing wrong with that being a practice field or a field used for something else, but the games should be done at Evans Stadium.”
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