Uh, Oh! Field’s Renovation Unearths Surprises; Football Timetable Threatened
No,
this is not a
photo of a dig for hidden oil in the Mojave Desert.
It’s actually a photo of Mason’s football field in the midst of a conversion
which will change the field from natural grass to artificial turf, specifically
FieldTurf, which will eventually provide myriad opportunities for all-year-round
practices not only for Mason sports, but also for the City’s many youth leagues.
But a few days ago, a snag was unearthed and, although you can’t see it clearly
in this photo, the dig that continues is far deeper than what had originally
been planned because a house, or perhaps a barn, has been unearthed well beneath
the surface of the scheduled dig. “In order to ensure that all the earth can
be compacted firmly for the project to proceed, everything that has been unearthed
must be dug up and the land backfilled and compacted,” said Mason athletic director
and head football coach Tom Horn. The conversion to artificial turf is currently
budgeted at around $800,000 and was originally scheduled to be completed by September
1. The potential delays could threaten
Mason’s football schedule. Practices are scheduled to begin July 31 and the first
football game is September 8. (Lasso Online photo) 7-14-06
