• About
    • About Us
    • What We Cover
  • Advertise
    • Advertise
    • Our Advertisers
  • Contact
  • Donate
  • Send News
  • Subscribe

Oak Ridge Today

  • Home
  • Sign in
  • News
    • Business
    • Community
    • Education
    • Government
    • Health
    • Police and Fire
    • U.S. Department of Energy
    • Weather
  • Sports
    • High School
    • Middle School
    • Recreation
    • Rowing
    • Youth
  • Entertainment
    • Arts
    • Dancing
    • Movies
    • Music
    • Television
    • Theater
  • Premium Content
  • Obituaries
  • Classifieds




Blankenship Field renovations could start in January, be complete by June

Posted at 1:19 pm December 17, 2017
By Oak Ridge Today Staff 1 Comment

The renovation work at Blankenship Field and Jack Armstrong Stadium could start in January and be complete by June, officials said Thursday, Dec. 14, 2017. (Photo by City of Oak Ridge)

The renovation work at Blankenship Field and Jack Armstrong Stadium could start in January and be complete by June, officials said Thursday, Dec. 14, 2017. (Photo by City of Oak Ridge)

 

The renovation work at Blankenship Field and Jack Armstrong Stadium could start in January and be complete by June, officials said Thursday.

The work will be done with help from a $496,000 state grant and an equal match from the Blankenship Field Revitalization Foundation, the City of Oak Ridge said in a press release.

“The funds, totaling roughly $1 million, will be used to make a number of upgrades to the facility, including, but not limited to: installation of synthetic turf, concrete walkways, synthetic track, new fencing, signage for the Cedar Hill Greenway trail head, and additional restrooms,” the press release said.

The state grant for the Blankenship Field renovations is from the Local Parks and Recreation Fund, and it has been approved by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.

On December 11, Oak Ridge City Council voted to amend an earlier resolution to include all the enhancements specifically outlined within the grant contract. The expected date for project completion is June 1, 2018, the press release said.

“Blankenship Field is a true landmark, part of our city’s remarkable and fascinating student athlete history,” Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson said of the facility. “This is our opportunity to make improvements that will be enjoyed by all for many years to come. We are targeting to have the upgraded field and stadium open for the class of 2018’s graduation ceremony. For now, this is a welcome Christmas gift for Oak Ridge!”

Advertisement

The TDEC grant includes a stipulation that the entire facility be open for public use during non-event times. So Blankenship Field and its amenities will be operated like a city park, meaning it will be open to the public from dawn until dusk every day. The only exception would be during scheduled sporting events or other scheduled community activities that may take place inside the facility throughout the year, the press release said. The city has coordinated with the Oak Ridge Board of Education to create a joint operational agreement for management and maintenance of the stadium facilities.

“It’s important to remember the goal of this project—creating a gathering place so the Oak Ridge community can use the field for much more than football,” Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Department Director Jon Hetrick said. “These changes will essentially be adding another city park to an already impressive list of green spaces in Oak Ridge. The entire city will benefit.”

The city applied for the TDEC grant in 2016 and was notified of acceptance and approval earlier this year. The contract, received on November 28, was thoroughly reviewed by city staff and signed by Oak Ridge Mayor Warren Gooch. The document was then returned to state officials in early December, the press release said.

TDEC estimates that the fully signed contract will be sent back to the city within four weeks, the press release said. Work is expected to begin in January once the document is received.

About Blankenship Field: For more than 70 years, Blankenship Field has been the home of the Oak Ridge High School Wildcats football team. The facility, named after former superintendent Alden Blankenship, is located on Broadway Avenue near Historic Jackson Square. After opening in 1943, it quickly become the largest gathering place for Manhattan Project workers and their families. Learn more online: blankenshiplegacy.org/.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

The renovation work at Blankenship Field and Jack Armstrong Stadium could start in January and be complete by June, officials said Thursday, Dec. 14, 2017. (Photo by City of Oak Ridge)

The renovation work at Blankenship Field and Jack Armstrong Stadium could start in January and be complete by June, officials said Thursday, Dec. 14, 2017. (Photo by City of Oak Ridge)

 

Do you appreciate this story or our work in general? If so, please consider a monthly subscription to Oak Ridge Today. See our Subscribe page here. Thank you for reading Oak Ridge Today.

Copyright 2017 Oak Ridge Today. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Filed Under: Education, Front Page News, Government, High School, K-12, Middle School, Oak Ridge, Slider, Sports, Sports Tagged With: Alden Blankenship, Blankenship Field, Blankenship Field renovations, Blankenship Field Revitalization Foundation, Cedar Hill Greenway, City of Oak Ridge, Jack Armstrong Stadium, Jackson Square, Jon Hetrick, Local Parks and Recreation Fund, Mark Watson, Oak Ridge Board of Education, Oak Ridge City Council, Oak Ridge High School Wildcats, Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Department, synthetic turf, TDEC grant, Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Warren Gooch

Advertisements

Join the club!

If you appreciate our work, please consider subscribing. Besides helping us, your subscription will give you access to our premium content.

Most of our stories are free, brought to you by Oak Ridge Today with help from our members—advertisers, subscribers, and sponsors.

But some are premium content, available only to members. Those are in-depth, investigative, or exclusive stories that are available only on Oak Ridge Today. They generally require at least four hours to report, write, and publish.

You can subscribe for as little as $5 per month.

You can read more about your options here.

We currently offer five primary subscription options to readers, and they include benefits.

Basic

  • Basic monthly subscription ($5 per month)—access premium content
  • Basic annual subscription ($60 per year)—access premium content

Pro

  • Pro monthly subscription ($10 per month)—access premium content, get breaking news emails first, and submit one press release or public service announcement per month
  • Pro annual subscription ($100 per year)—save $20 per year, access premium content, get breaking news emails first, and submit one press release or public service announcement per month

Temporary

  • Temporary access ($3 per week for two weeks)

We also have advanced subscription options. You can see them here.

We also accept donations. You can donate here.

If you prefer to send a check for a subscription or donation, you may do so by mailing one to:

Oak Ridge Today
P.O. Box 6064
Oak Ridge, TN 37831

Thank you for your consideration and for reading Oak Ridge Today. We appreciate your support.

Commenting Guidelines

We welcome comments, but we ask you to follow a few guidelines:

1) Please use your real name, including last name. Please also use a valid e-mail address.
2) Be civil. Don't insult others, attack their character, or get personal.
3) Stick to the issues.
4) No profanity.
5) Keep your comments to a reasonable length and to a reasonable number per article.

We reserve the right to remove any comments that violate these guidelines. Comments held for review, usually from those posting for the first time, may not post if they violate these guidelines. Thank you for your patience and understanding. Thank you also for reading Oak Ridge Today and for participating in the discussion.

More information is available here.

More Education News

Oak Ridge Police Department Badge

Boy hit by vehicle near JMS

A 10-year-old boy was hit by a vehicle near Jefferson Middle School on Thursday, the Oak Ridge Police Department said. The collision was reported at about 2:48 p.m. Thursday, April 1, on Fairbanks Road north of Dayton … [Read More...]

Oak Ridge Schools Logo

ORHS educator named Claes Nobel Educator of Distinction

Heidi Foster, an educator at Oak Ridge High School, was recently selected as a Claes Nobel Educator of Distinction by The National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS). "A role model to pupils, Heidi was nominated … [Read More...]

Oak Ridge High School Main Entrance

ORHS student wins first place at Tennessee Junior Science & Humanities Symposium

Oak Ridge High School student Daniel Joy won first place at the Tennessee Junior Science and Humanities Symposium Poster Presentation Competition held virtually in March, the school system said in a press release. The … [Read More...]

Dr. Michelle Cash is Roane State Outstanding Alumni

Michelle Cash By Bob Fowler Roane State staff writer “I always knew I wanted to teach,” says Dr. Michelle Cash, the winner of Roane State’s prestigious Outstanding Alumni Award for 2019. She was to be recognized on … [Read More...]

Roane State student chronicles harrowing escape from captivity in new book

Shown is the cover of the self-published book available on Amazon and written by Bella Hope Shiloh, the alias adopted by a Roane State Community College student. (Photo submitted by Roane State) By Bob Fowler, Roane … [Read More...]

More Education

More Government News

Governor authorizes $10,000 reward in Thomas Thrasher death investigation

The Oak Ridge Police Department and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation investigated the death of a 29-year-old man found dead in a second-floor apartment at this Rolling Hills Apartments building in Oak Ridge on Monday, … [Read More...]

Horizon-Center-Motorsports-Track-6-Feb-11-2020

Motorsports park will not be built in Oak Ridge

Part of the site where a test track and research facility or motorsports park was proposed on the back side of Horizon Center in west Oak Ridge is pictured above on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2020. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak … [Read More...]

Political redistricting to be discussed at Lunch with League

Debby Gould Political redistricting will be discussed at Lunch with the League in Oak Ridge on Tuesday, April 20. The virtual meeting is scheduled to start at noon April 20. It is hosted by the League of Women … [Read More...]

Death penalty to be discussed at Lunch with League

Marshall Jensen The death penalty in America will be discussed during a Lunch with the League meeting at noon today (Tuesday, April 6). The virtual meeting is hosted by the League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge. It … [Read More...]

City of Oak Ridge Seal

Planning Commission to discuss site plans for storage facility, apartments

The Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission will discuss a site plan for the planned storage facility at Main Street Oak Ridge and apartments on Emory Valley Road on Thursday. The storage facility would be built along … [Read More...]

More Government

More Sports News

Oak Ridge to host 2021 USRowing Masters National Championships

Rowing at Melton Hill Lake (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge) The 2021 USRowing Masters National Championships will be in Oak Ridge in August. The championships, hosted by Oak Ridge Rowing Association, will be on … [Read More...]

Houston defeats Oak Ridge in state semifinal

A tall, talented Houston team with several future Division I basketball players eliminated Oak Ridge 77-45 in a Class AAA state semifinal tournament game in Murfreesboro on Friday, March 19, 2021. (Photo by Zack … [Read More...]

Basketball photos from state quarterfinal game

Oak Ridge advanced to a state semifinal basketball game on Friday, March 19, 2021, with a 68-57 win over Siegel in a Class AAA quarterfinal game in Murfreesboro on Thursday. Pictured above shooting a jump shot is Oak … [Read More...]

Wildcats advance to state semifinal with win over Siegel

Oak Ridge advanced to a state semifinal basketball game on Friday, March 19, 2021, with a 68-57 win over Siegel in a Class AAA quarterfinal game in Murfreesboro on Thursday. Pictured above shooting a free throw is Oak … [Read More...]

Roane State re-opening Expo Center in phases

Roane State Community College prepares to re-open the Expo Center in Harriman. (Photo by Roane State) Roane State Community College is re-opening its Expo Center in Harriman in phases. The Henry/Stafford East … [Read More...]

More Sports

Recent Posts

  • Virtual talks on Weinberg and his archived papers on Apr. 20
  • ORAU receives new work from CDC Office of Minority Health and Health Equity to support COVID-19 communications efforts
  • One person flown to hospital, in critical condition after rollover crash
  • ASAP has Virtual Information and Resource Fair
  • Man wanted in Ohio hides in Oak Ridge church, but K-9 finds him
  • Governor authorizes $10,000 reward in Thomas Thrasher death investigation
  • Man pursued by police runs into church, taken into custody
  • Public notice: Draft environmental assessment for Y-12 Development Organization at Horizon Center
  • Public Notice: Final environmental assessment available for Lithium Processing Facility at Y-12
  • THP report: Child hit by pickup walked into travel lane

Search Oak Ridge Today

About Us

About Oak Ridge Today
What We Cover

How To

Advertise
Subscribe

Contact Us

Contact Oak Ridge Today

Copyright © 2021 Oak Ridge Today