Since the complete renovation of the Howard Fellows Stadium in the mid-1990s, the crown of the field has dissipated resulting in drainage issues, especially after heavy rains. This is coupled with the added heavy usage from the LP football program, LP Youth Football Program and LPHS Marching Band. Over the past several years, the field is typically in very poor condition early in the fall athletic season. This impacts the school’s programs access onto the field in addition to frequent rescheduling of LP Youth Football games.

Our Goal: Replace the natural grass playing surface in historic Howard Fellows Stadium with an artificial playing surface in order to increase usage within LPHS and the community

Our Committment: This project will ONLY progress unless funding can be secured so that it results in a ZERO TAX INCREASE to the District 120 property tax owner.
 

The installation of an artificial surface will result in the following benefits to LPHS and our community:

1. Athletic teams will be able to practice on the field every day instead of using the practice field just east of the stadium. The added time in the stadium will provide our student-athletes and coaches with more practice on the field in which compete. Currently, our football team will typically spend one day in the stadium each week – and that is usually the Thursday walk-through.
2. The LPHS Marching Band will be able to conduct practices in the stadium on a daily basis, thus putting our student-musicians in the best possible position for performing well during competitions since their time will have been on a proper football field. With an artificial surface, Howard Fellows Stadium will become an ideal location to host a Marching Band competition – which is one of the goals of our Band Director.
3. LPHS PE classes will be able to access the field on a regular basis – especially in the fall – for curricular experiences. Currently, PE classes do not access the field in the fall since our building and grounds crews are working in the stadium during the week cutting the grass and prepping the field for athletic competitions.
4. The LPHS Youth Football program will never have to worry about disrupting Saturday and Sunday games because of the field not being safe for playing conditions.
5. LPHS currently spends between $19,450 & $26,450 per year maintaining the field (see below). This includes water, seed, fertilizer, chemical treatments, staff wages, fuel, field striping, and aeration. The savings we would expect will be used by the District to begin saving for the time in 12 to 15 years when the artificial surface would need to be replaced.

Water - $6,000.00-$10,000.00 depending on weather
Seed   - $450.00
Fertilizer - $1,500.00
Chemical treatments - $2,500.00-$3,000.00
Mowing -$2,500.00-$3,000.00 wage
Fuel - $1,500.00-$2,000.00
Field striping - $4,500.00-$6,000.00 based on number of home games and band needs
Aeration - $500.00

An artificial surface would save the District at least $20,000 annually.