SCHOOLS

Mepham cuts the ribbon on turf field

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Skies may have been gray, but the rainy weather couldn’t dampen the Pirates’ spirits last Saturday at the grand opening for Mepham High School's new synthetic-turf field.

Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District officials hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the field on Sept. 13, just before the varsity football team faced Carey. The turf was installed this summer following passage of a $49.89 million bond.

The bond proposal, prepared by BBS Architects, Landscape Architects and Engineers of Patchogue, passed by public vote in December 2013. The plan included $6.5 million for new artificial-turf athletic fields at all five of the district’s schools.


At the Mepham ceremony, attended by a host of dignitaries, Board of Education President JoAnn DeLauter, whose children are Mepham alumni, cut the ribbon. Principal Michael Harrington welcomed the large crowd, noting that it was an exciting day for the community.

“It represents the beginning of a new age in Bellmore-Merrick, where the students enjoy the very best facilities and the very best resources in an environment for them to learn, grow and thrive,” he said. “Today’s ribbon-cutting also represents facility upgrades inside and outside of our classrooms. It represents significant improvements in instructional technology and school safety.”

In addition to the planned field improvements, the bond proposal called for $6 million for new bathrooms and $5 million for new science laboratories at all five schools, as well as monies for renovated music, art, faculty and guidance rooms, refinished gym floors, kitchen ceiling and lighting replacement, removal of vinyl asbestos titles, masonry work, new doors where needed, and air-conditioning units in all classrooms and auditoriums. It will cost local taxpayers $104 per year, or $8.67 per month.

This was the first turf ribbon-cutting ceremony of its kind in the district. Kennedy and Calhoun high schools will host similar celebrations for their new fields in the near future.