Berrien Springs Public Schools is approaching one year since construction began on the Sylvester Field stadium project, which will be the new home to multiple programs: football, soccer, the track and field programs, and the marching band.
The stadium will feature an all-purpose surface with full-service locker rooms for both boys and girls. There will also be trainers’ rooms, shower facilities for athletes, and offices for coaches. All this capped off by a video display scoreboard for the multiple athletic events.
“This is a facility that could be rented out by the district to the community. We could host MHSAA (Michigan High School Athletic Association) events potentially. It’s not just a football complex. It’ll serve multiple needs,” says Berrien Springs Public Schools Superintendent, David Eichberg.
The exterior of the building and the press box skeleton have been constructed while much of the mechanical and plumbing work have also been completed. The bleachers have been installed on the home side.
“We didn’t have a stadium previously. We just had an athletic field with some bleachers and a small concession building. People will see a multi-purpose facility when they walk in here for the first time. And it will serve as a potential gateway into the district and it’s visible from a state highway. People will see a complex that they’ll be proud of. It’ll be something that will serve our athletes and our community for years to come,” added Eichberg.
The original Sylvester Field was built in 1938, and was updated in 1999. The old facility had no team locker rooms. Shamrock athletes used the storage building while the visiting team used the hallway in the adjacent elementary building. There was no storage there and the press box was a one story wooden box that housed 12-15 at most.
The project was originally scheduled to be concluded by August 1st, but a halt in production caused by Covid-19 has left some to wonder whether it’ll meet that deadline. “It’s safe to say we are behind schedule,” says Eichberg.
Eichberg says the school district is making plans for alternate locations to accommodate the first home athletic events for the Shamrocks in August, if they’re unable to complete construction by then.
For more information and updates on the Sylvester Field stadium project, visit: https://www.homeoftheshamrocks.org/sylvester-stadium-project
