Whatever Happened To...
An update on past news
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STAR-BULLETIN / NOVEMBER 2003
Roosevelt High School's football field turned into a virtual mud bog as the band practiced in driving rain for the 2003 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
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Roosevelt field gets FieldTurf in June
Question: What ever happened to plans to replace Roosevelt High School's football field with synthetic grass?
Answer: The project to install FieldTurf and replace the field's dirt track with a rubberized surface is scheduled to start in June, soon after graduation, said Ron Nomura, the school's vice principal.
During the estimated six months of construction, football teams that use the field -- Roosevelt, McKinley, Farrington and Kaimuki high schools -- will have to play at other Oahu Interscholastic Association sites, said Keith Amemiya, Hawaii High School Athletic Association executive director.
Amemiya, who applied for a $200,000 NFL grant to help fund the project, said the current Roosevelt field gets muddy and messy because of frequent rain and heavy use by football and soccer teams. The turf being installed is easier to maintain and can handle consecutive games without getting damaged.
The NFL donation announced last year is part of a $2.5 million effort by the league to refurbish fields in 19 cities through its Grassroots program. A fundraiser dinner for Roosevelt alumni collected about $600,000, which was more than enough to match the NFL grant, Amemiya said. The state also is contributing $4.5 million for the project.
The cost of the project is estimated at about $5 million.
A portion of the state money might be used to build a road providing access to Roosevelt High's swimming pool.
This update was written by Star-Bulletin reporter Alexandre Da Silva.
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