Blankenship Field

[bounder]

The word I got that was to leave him alone on small money matters so we could stroke him for a big donation on the new school.

Lussier had the groundskeeper at UT come over and make a recomendation on what the Ship needed but it was too much cost for just a football field.

Now if we got soccer and the band.... naw bad idea.

Edited August 9, 2005 by bounder

[Ole Dad]

Other schools are spending $100,000's on new faciliities and improvements. I don't buy the answer, "It's too expensive for just a football field." That is a facitility that has served the community for 50 years and it gets ignored. The SB trys to throw it off on the boosters club because you guys let them. Ask the SB or City council memebers what other city activity draws the support of a Friday night game at Blankenship. We need to have a total renovation of that facility and not with the few dollars the boosters can raise. It needs a community commtiment. We've been riding that facility for years with no influx of funds or improvements. The powers want you to believe that it needs to support inself. Thats baloney. name one facilty in the community that is self sufficiient financially. Not even the pool renovation where we spents millions makes money. Make your voices heard.

The word I got that was to leave him alone on small money matters so we could stroke him for a big donation on the new school.

Lussier had the groundskeeper at UT come over and make a recomendation on what the Ship needed but it was too much cost for just a football field.

Now if we got soccer and the band....  naw bad idea.

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[Rebel Nation]

"The Tank" would love to have something in tomorrow's issue. He would also love to have some folks go on the record and call him as early as possible with some info and nice quotes about the legitimate concern. I will also contact Carringer in the AM to get his take on the situation.

 

I am concerned about a photo, however. Running black and white during the week ... and trying to show the brown may not be as mentally effective as I would like. I have seen Blankenship Field - it's not what you would expect from a program like Oak Ridge.

 

With all of that said, I do in fact think we need to get something in the sports pages about the field conditions. I just want to make sure I get both sides of things and without  something other than posts from those equally concerned, the article may not be very strong.

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Tank, send the pics to brian moss at knoxvillepreps.com...he'll put em up and you can get the pics on Anderson County.com

 

It's beeter than nothing. You already did one article on it, didn't you? The visiting stands? I thought that piece was very good. thumb

[extremefury]

Have you all ever considered that may be it's not all financial, but may be some of the powers to be don't want any changes. There are a lot of people out their who would rather go back to the old days of the grey paints with the strip down the sides and the H shaped goal post, all in the name of tradition.

 

I know that there have been coaches, administrators, and people from the community who have brought up different ideas only to be told, this is not tradition.

 

Blankenship is still home to a lot of us, but I agree something needs to be done. It would be a shame to make it to the 4th round and lose to Riverdale and have people walking around making excuses by blaming the field conditions, and it can happen, just think back two years ago.

[WKH]

I think its time for a total renovation of Blankenship Field. The situation with the turf just highlights the School Boards neglect of that facility. Improvements that have been made to it in the past few years are 95% due to the efforts of the Boosters Club and the Quarterback Club. Here is what I think the stadium needs:

 

1. Removal of the visitors side bleachers, and put in a visitors dressing room, concessions stand and bathrooms, then install the new type bleachers above them. like Morristown West did on their home side.

 

2. Remove the lower home side bleachers and replace with the new style bleachers, perhaps add a cheerleader platform and a designated section for the band. Give more room behind the team...Also install a new section of bleachers on the bank between the steps and the current upper bleachers (leave room for the kids to line the steps)

 

3. Add the third level to the Press Box as the original 1973 design called for, a lot of people don't realize it was supposed to be three levels to start with. Also, open up the lower level so the home team can use the entire underneath for a dressing room, including the current visitors dressing room. Perhaps another room could be added out back as a meeting room for the press etc or hospitality room. The third level could contain some 'skyboxes" that could be sold at premium prices per season to help pay for it.

 

4. Last but not least, it may be too late to sod the bad spots on the center of the field, (damage from the last 2004 Playoff Game with DB, but do something to fix that ASAP, then after the season is over, a total redo of the turf should start probably sometime in February, using the recommendations that Coach Lussier got from the UT turf expert. If the right turf is used and continued maintenance is done, it should hold up well.

 

Money should be put in the budget to do all this within the next 2-3 years, it really should have been worked into the ORHS renovation project, a new gym was, and that is an athletic facility. Also, if the schools cannot afford or don't want to improve and maintain this facility, it should be turned over to the City of Oak Ridge to maintain, with an agreement with the city to allow school teams to have first participation rights on it if necessary.

 

With the current weak economy in Oak Ridge, fundraising by the Clubs is extremely difficult, so they cannot be expected to take on the above mentioned renovations...I would like to say many thanks to all those in the Boosters Club and the Quarterback Clubs whose efforts with the painting, cleaning, landscaping, picnic area and restroom additions made this a better facility, so it is time for the SB to step up to the plate and make Blankenship Field the BEST facility in the State...!!!

 

WKH

[Ole Dad]

Archie,

Great recap of the situation. The SB has ducked the responsibilty for the care of this great facitilty for years. They have always acted like the stadium and field are to be cared for by volunteers and therefore have never budgeted money for deferred maintenance or proper care. It is time that we apply the proper notification to the SB and City Council to budget and renovate this great landmark immeadiately. No where else do 5,000 to 10,000 citizens participate in city or school events on a regular basis. The boosters and quarterback club have the power to get this done by making their postion known through hundreds of direct contacts to these representatives. Getter done!

Ole Dad

I think its time for a total renovation of Blankenship Field.  The situation with the turf just highlights the School Boards neglect of that facility.  Improvements that have been made to it in the past few years are 95% due to the efforts of the Boosters Club and the Quarterback Club.  Here is what I think the stadium needs:

 

1. Removal of the visitors side bleachers, and put in a visitors dressing room, concessions stand and bathrooms, then install the new type bleachers above them. like Morristown West did on their home side.

 

2. Remove the lower home side bleachers and replace with the new style bleachers, perhaps add a cheerleader platform and a designated section for the band.  Give more room behind the team...Also install a new section of bleachers on the bank between the steps and the current upper bleachers (leave room for the kids to line the steps)

 

3. Add the third level to the Press Box as the original 1973 design called for, a lot of people don't realize it was supposed to be three levels to start with.  Also, open up the lower level so the home team can use the entire underneath for a dressing room, including the current visitors dressing room.  Perhaps another room could be added out back as a meeting room for the press etc or hospitality room.  The third level could contain some 'skyboxes" that could be sold at premium prices per season to help pay for it.

 

4. Last but not least, it may be too late to sod the bad spots on the center of the field, (damage from the last 2004 Playoff Game with DB, but do something to fix that ASAP, then after the season is over, a total redo of the turf should start probably sometime in February, using the recommendations that Coach Lussier got from the UT turf expert.  If the right turf is used and continued maintenance is done, it should hold up well.

 

Money should be put in the budget to do all this within the next 2-3 years, it really should have been worked into the ORHS renovation project, a new gym was, and that is an athletic facility. Also, if the schools cannot afford or don't want to improve and maintain this facility, it should be turned over to the City of Oak Ridge to maintain, with an agreement with the city to allow school teams to have first participation rights on it if necessary.

 

With the current weak economy in Oak Ridge, fundraising by the Clubs is extremely difficult, so they cannot be expected to take on the above mentioned renovations...I would like to say many thanks to all those in the Boosters Club and the Quarterback Clubs whose efforts with the painting, cleaning, landscaping, picnic area and restroom additions made this a better facility, so it is time for the SB to step up to the plate and make Blankenship Field the BEST facility in the State...!!!

 

WKH

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[ORWildcat30]

First off, reading this I notice that all of the clamoring is done by parents. I don't see any players or former players complaining about it. Also, what exactly is so bad about the field? I didn't get to go to any home games this past season and I haven't heard anything specific.

 

Now, I am all for tradition - I don't exactly love the idea of my high school being completely revamped for a new plastic one that is supposedly "better." So I can sympathize with the allegedly old fogies who want to keep things the way they are. That isn't to say that things should never be fixed, but there is a fine line. Someone mentioned some bleachers along the bank: are you serious? The hill is one of the most characteristic aspects of Jack Armstrong Stadium. Besides, if this happend where would the boys run their punishments after Thursday's practice?

 

I do agree that the locker room is a little cramped. And it would be nice if the other team wasn't right next door. But the city and SB are already throwing a lot of money and effort into this new school project, and I think that should be the number one priority. Maybe bad timing for the patrons of the field, but they may just have to wait a bit more.

[Ole Dad]

Maybe you should be familar with the field conditions and actually have seen it and/or participated in the upkeep over the past 50 years before jumping in here to criticize "The Old Fogies". Who do think played here before you came along? "The Old Fogies" that's who! You think maybe "The Parents" many of whom actually played before the kids that are playing now came along and actually pay the taxes in this fair town that pay for all of its upkeep are entitled to an opinion? Go see the stadium if you wish to participate on this thread in an intelligent manner.

Ole Dad

First off, reading this I notice that all of the clamoring is done by parents.  I don't see any players or former players complaining about it.  Also, what exactly is so bad about the field?  I didn't get to go to any home games this past season and I haven't heard anything specific.

 

Now, I am all for tradition - I don't exactly love the idea of my high school being completely revamped for a new plastic one that is supposedly "better."  So I can sympathize with the allegedly old fogies who want to keep things the way they are.  That isn't to say that things should never be fixed, but there is a fine line.  Someone mentioned some bleachers along the bank: are you serious?  The hill is one of the most characteristic aspects of Jack Armstrong Stadium.  Besides, if this happend where would the boys run their punishments after Thursday's practice?

 

I do agree that the locker room is a little cramped.  And it would be nice if the other team wasn't right next door.  But the city and SB are already throwing a lot of money and effort into this new school project, and I think that should be the number one priority.  Maybe bad timing for the patrons of the field, but they may just have to wait a bit more.

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Edited August 15, 2005 by Ole Dad

[bounder]

ORWILDcat30 if you played at the Ship you never saw the field look like it does now. Not before the season has started anyway,maybe after a long hard season but not before. As far as your high school becoming plastic, something needs to be done to drag the school into the 21st century we can't continue to live in the past. I haven't had a child in the OR school system for 20 years but am all for the new school. Hey, the old is falling down. They haven't been able to use the science labs in A building because the foundation is cracked and crumbling.I'll get off my soap box now Sorry I got carried away but I love my school also ORHS Class of 1961.

Edited August 15, 2005 by bounder

[Ole Dad]

Bounder,

It looks like the administration has quashed the movement to make repairs to Blankenship. It has been noticbly quite from Tank and Tina over the past week. I think they must have been told to "back off." Your thoughts?

Ole Dad

ORWILDcat30 if you played at the Ship you never saw the field look like it does now. Not before the season has started anyway,maybe after a long hard season but not before. As far as your high school becoming plastic, something needs to be done to drag the school into the 21st century we can't continue to live in the past. I haven't had a child in the OR school system for 20 years but am all for the new school. Hey, the old is falling down. They haven't been able to use the science labs in A building because the foundation is cracked and crumbling.I'll get off my soap box now Sorry I got carried away but I love my school also  ORHS Class of 1961.

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[TankTalk]

Nobody has told me to back off anything. I wasn't present at this meeting, but heard there were some outstanding track covering.

 

It does put me in a peculiar situation, when all I have on one side is anonymous posters complaining. Nobody has called me, nobody has been willing to go on the record complaining, etc. If someone wants to step up, I would be happy to do something with it.

 

 

Bounder,

It looks like the administration has quashed the movement to make repairs to Blankenship. It has been noticbly quite from Tank and Tina over the past week. I think they must have been told to "back off." Your thoughts?

Ole Dad

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