STHS football lights fundraising campaign under way

By Kathryn Reed

Even though the major benefactor Lake Tahoe Unified School District thought it had lined up to help finance the turf and lighting project at the high school fell through, momentum has not waned.

“What we are going to do for the school and the community is huge,” South Tahoe High School Principal Ivone Larson told the school board Dec. 14 as she stood in front of a rendering of the new gridiron.

STHS Principal Ivone Larson talks about the Viking Lights Campaign. Photo/Kathryn Reed

Two football games were played this fall under temporary lights. At one game Larson counted six wheelchairs at the stadium that does not meet regulations with the American Disabilities Act.

As the field is reconfigured to accommodate soccer and football, and the sod is replaced with artificial turf, measures will be taken to ensure it is ADA compliant.

A snag Facilities Director Steve Morales relayed to the board Tuesday night after learning of it earlier in the day is the Department of State Architects says an ADA path from the campus to the field must be part of the plans. It does not have to built in the initial phase, but will have to be down the road.

The district will use $1.1 million in developer fees for the project and will need to raise about $300,000 from donors.

Kiwanis Club of Lake Tahoe has pledged $36,000. This would buy one light standard.

Bricks that will be prominently incorporated into the design are being sold that will have the donor’s name chiseled in it.

The district is also hoping businesses will donate services, much like what happened with the construction of the track and field at South Tahoe Middle School.

The idea is the field will be ready to use in fall 2011. Construction could mean graduation will have to be moved for one year.