Work continues on athletic venues

School may be out for summer, but major face-lift projects continue

to take place on athletic venues on the Laguna Beach High campus.

It’s the first major renovation construction project taking place

on the facilities since the late 1960s, said Mario Morales, Laguna’s

former athletic director.

Renovation, taking place in the first of four phases of

construction on campus, includes the refurbishment of the gymnasium

-- a new floor, new, automated bleachers, paint, lighting and

electrical -- a project, Morales said, is scheduled for completion in

November, at the start of the basketball season.

Work is also being done to modernize the girls’ and boys’ locker

rooms and the dance studio, including the lower level of Dugger

Gymnasium.

An upgrade also will be made to the football stadium where an

artificial turf, which looks like “actual grass,” Morales said, and

an all-weather track, will be installed. In addition, a new

scoreboard, visitors bleachers and a concession stand will be put in

place, and new lighting for the stadium will be installed.

That project, he said, is projected to begin on April 1, 2004.

The current baseball field will be completely realigned. The major

change is moving home plate to where left field is currently,

switching the infield with the outfield.

The project, which includes the installation of a new concession

stand, bull-pen and batting cages, will begin demolition at the

conclusion of the 2004 baseball season.

Both the football stadium and baseball field projects are

scheduled to be completed by Sept. 1, 2004, he said.

“There’s a lot going on here on campus right now and plenty more

work to be done,” Morales said. “There are some much-needed and great

changes taking place in our athletic facilities.”