Football: A makeover of Paramount importance
This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.
Paramount’s football stadium needed some sprucing up. Badly.
The Pirates had played at a facility that hadn’t experienced significant upgrades since 1953 and was described by its district superintendent as a ‘dusty old field.’
There’s nothing antiquated about it anymore.
Today, for the first time, the Pirates practiced on a new Field Turf surface, part of a $13-million stadium face-lift that will be fully unveiled Friday when Paramount (4-1) plays host to Downey (2-3) in its San Gabriel Valley League opener. The Pirates had played their three previous home games this season at Warren High.
Paramount will hold a grand opening ceremony prior to the game in the school gymnasium, with festivities scheduled to continue on the field with a special presentation and halftime fireworks show.
In addition to the new playing surface, the 6,000-seat stadium will feature a nine-lane, all-weather urethane track, a lighted scoreboard, a press box with elevator and other improved track and field amenities.
‘Students have been playing their hearts out on this dusty old field for decades,’ Paramount Unified School District Superintendent David J. Verdugo said in a statement. ‘We just wanted to give students the same opportunities that other students at surrounding school districts have -- state-of-the-art facilities that enhance student-athlete experiences.’
Other upgrades are still in the works.
A 450-seat baseball complex is 80% completed, and a central promenade, anchored by a 29,000-square-foot field house encompassing locker rooms, classrooms and a weight room, should be finished next month. An entry plaza with separate ticketing booths, restroom facilities and concession stands for both home and visiting teams is scheduled for completion by February 2010.
Funding for the projects came from a $100-million bond referendum passed by Paramount voters in November 2006.
--Ben Bolch
--Image courtesy LPA Architects