May, 26, 1998
Private effort, public pride
By Dave Feltner
Sports Editor
A private effort to raise $2 million is aimed at turning Columbian Stadium into one of the finest high school facilities in the state.
The ''Tiffin Stadium Fund'' is the brainchild of Elaine and Bob Hunt, who also were at the forefront of a similar fund raiser which resulted in the construction of a new YMCA some 20 years ago.
''Actually, my daughter came to me with idea awhile ago and said she had some friends who would be interested in such a project,'' Elaine Hunt said. ''At first I told her 'no, you have no idea how much work something like this takes.'
''But after about a week I started to think about what a project like this could do for the community,'' she said. ''It could bring all of us together. Instead of having one school here, one school here and one school here, we could use this as something we all could benefit from.''
The project is aimed at not only benefitting Columbian High School athletics, but includes Calvert High School, Tiffin University and Heidelberg College, all of which play their home football games at Columbian Stadium.
The Tiffin Stadium Fund includes the five following phases:
n Fixing the cracks in the concrete and the expansion joints in the stadium's home stands and expansion of the press box at a cost of $650,000.
n Installing a synthetic surface on the football field called ''Field Turf'' ($600,000).
n Installation of a new polyurethane, all-weather track to replace the present dilapadated one ($150,000).
n Replacement of the present scoreboard with a new one, which includes the possiblilty of customized graphics for each of the four home schools. The cost would range from $25,000-$250,000 depending on available funds.
n The creation of an endowment fund aimed at saving money for future stadium renovations ($200,000).
Perhaps the most crucial part of the project - and the one that is likely to raise the most questions - is the installation of the synthetic surface for the football field.
Immediately, thoughts of injuries such as rug burns, turf toe and severe knee damage are thought of in connection with synthetic turf. But, according to Tom Anway, superintendent of buildings and grounds, Field Turf is the latest in technology designed at mimicking natural grass.
Old versions of the artificial surface are designed with loops to hold the grass in place, which cause legs to interlock on the surface, resulting in serious injuries. Field Turf, however, has a blade design which resembles the real thing.
''It is a tremendous product,'' Anway said. ''Currently, there's only one field in the United States, in Monongahela, Pennsylvania. But I think as word gets around you'll see more and more people going to it. I know that Penn State is presently installing it for its indoor facility, and the (Cincinnati) Bengals are also going to use it for their practice facility.''
In addition to those sites, Field Turf is installed at a soccer facility in Canada which has hosted more than 60,000 soccer games.
Its durablity - the turf comes with a 10-year warranty - would allow Columbian Stadium not only to host home games for all four local schools, but would enable the city to host Ohio High School Athletic Association playoff games as well as potential playoff games for Heidelberg and TU.
Also, the field would be made slightly wider than its present dimensions to accommodate soccer facilities, as well as other activities such as band and cheerleading contests.
In one 24-hour span from Sept. 26-27, 1997, four football games were played on the Columbian Stadium turf, leaving the field patchy and torn.
The installation of Field Turf would combat such situations.
''I think it's important to realize that you can host as many events in a single day that you'd like with this surface,'' Elaine Hunt said. ''We definitely think this is something we can sell to the community and local businesses. It's the kind of thing that will bring families to town from all over, which I think can be attractive for local businesses.''
The public is invited to the official ground-breaking ceremony scheduled for 7 p.m. June 28. Master of ceremonies will be former Heidelberg and Cleveland Browns football player Bob Hunt. Former Columbian and University of Michigan running back Chuck Heater also is to be a guest speaker.
Donations can be made to the Tiffin Stadium Fund at 240 W. Market Street (B & K Home Medical). The goal for completion of the project is the beginning of the 1999 football season.
''I would think this would make (Columbian Stadium) one of the premier facilities in Ohio,'' Anway said. ''In fact, I think we wouldn't be second to anybody in the Midwest.''