Westfield High School begins construction for all-purpose turf stadium

As the heat wave begins, construction is beginning this week for the turf fields over at Westfield High School. 22 News reporter Claire Overton is live in the studio now and has what that project entails. Kaylee, this project is many years in the making. Athletes at Westfield High School have been wanting turf fields for a while. Many of the schools they play already have turf fields, but all their fields are currently grass. Mountain View is the contractor for the project, which looks to build an all-purpose turf field stadium with a track, a turf softball field, and an additional turf multi-purpose field. The construction will continue through the summer and during the following school year before it is set to be completed in August of 2026. So the big question becomes, where will the athletes play? We have other fields in the school system that we'll be able to utilize and we'll make due for a year or two and once that is done we'll be in great shape. So I think in the long run it's worth it. The funding for the project is largely coming from Westfield Gas and Electric. Tom Flaherty Sr., the general manager, said once they were completing the Whip City Fiber, they began looking for another way to help residents in the city. He said the company is owned by its rate payers, so the community. He said they could have either lowered the rate by $2 or they could provide a million dollars a year to this project. He also said when completed, it will be something for the community to use, not just the high schoolers. Working for you, Claire Overton, 22 News.