South Dearborn's New Athletic Facility Project a Long Time in the Making

Friday, August 4, 2023 at 11:30 AM

Work is underway to construct new concessions, locker rooms, etc. at Backman Field.

Photo by Travis Thayer, Eagle Country 99.3.

(Aurora, Ind.) - Work is underway to construct a new athletic facility at South Dearborn High School.

The project is a longtime in the making. The South Dearborn Community School Board first started discussing potential facility upgrades in June of 2021.

Fast forward two years and demolition has began at the old concession stand and locker room building at Backman Field, a building that was constructed at the same time South Dearborn High School was constructed in the late 1970s.

The new athletic facility will consist of ADA compliant restrooms, concessions, locker rooms and coaches offices for football, soccer, and track, training room, and a center meeting area with flexible seating arrangement.

Superintendent Eric Lows tells Eagle Country 99.3, the facility will be three to four times larger than the previous building.

"We're really excited about it," said Lows. "Its a long time coming, but it shows the ongoing commitment from our school board to better the facilities, and I'm grateful for that."

The upgrade in facilities will be a welcome one for both student-athletes and spectators. Aside from the ADA compliant restrooms, a new roadway will lead down the hill to the athletic facility, where a small parking lot will be constructed with handicap accessibility.

Superintendent Lows expects the project to take a full year to complete. They hope is to be "full go" by the 2024 fall sports season.

In the meantime, temporary concessions, restrooms, and walkways will be used at Backman Field while construction is ongoing.

Lows added that more work to the bleachers and press box have been discussed, but no time table has been determined.

All of the current work is being done without a raise in taxes.

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