GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – Work has begun to upgrade a local high school’s football field.
Synthetic turf is being installed at Green Bay East’s City Stadium.
Senior Wide Receiver Michael Lampshire says “West De Pere was the first place I played on turf, and it was amazing. I felt faster. It was extremely exciting. It’s a great feeling finally that East is getting it at the historic City Stadium.”
Director of Co-Curricular Programs Tim Flood says the new surface will bring a huge benefit.
“There are some years where the grass is in terrible shape, the field is in bad shape because of the amount of overuse we have on it. This will help eradicate any of that.”
City Stadium played home to the Green Bay Packers from 1925 to 1956, before they moved to Lambeau Field.
“We have more tradition here than any other school has in the entire state.”
East Head Coach Brian Nast explains what they’re doing in the center of the field to commemorate that history.
“It’s got the helmet from back in the olden Packer days. That’s what we want to keep it like. We want to keep it old school, but we want to bring the new tradition of Green Bay East with it.”
The goal is to have the project finished by East’s August 18 opener against Seymour.
The $900,000 cost is being covered by a fundraising campaign and two $200,000 grants, one of which came from the Green Bay Packers Foundation.