St. Pius Dedicates New Seaver Family Sports Complex

Archbishop of Atlanta Wilton D. Gregory dedicated the new Seaver Family Sports Complex on the campus of in a ceremony Monday. The dedication of the new baseball field and multi-purpose athletic field completes the initial phase of the Expanding Our Legacy capital campaign launched in fall 2009, and the first expansion of the St. Pius campus since the school opened in 1958.

“It is with a great deal of pride and joy that we dedicate this land, the first opportunity to add new land to our campus in our 53 year history. This completed field is a tribute to every member of the St. Pius community who made this vision to reality,” St. Pius Principal Steve Spellman said.

Completed earlier this summer, the complex is named for Jim and Susan Lauria Seaver and their son Chris. Jim and Susan Seaver are 1964 graduates of St. Pius, while the younger Seaver finished in 1995.  The complex includes a synthetic turf baseball diamond as well as a synthetic turf multi-purpose field. The two fields will be used by numerous groups within the school, including physical education classes, athletic teams and marching band members. The baseball field is the only complete synthetic turf high school field in Georgia.

In 2006, the historic opportunity to purchase a tract of land adjacent to the campus of St. Pius became available. An option to purchase this land was secured by friends of St. Pius, and the purchase was made in 2008. The land and subsequent development of the 7.38-acre tract became the cornerstone for the capital campaign.

The 2010 phase of the Expanding Our Legacy campaign sought a benchmark of $5 million to begin construction on the athletic complex. In September 2010, the benchmark was met through gifts and pledges, including two generous gifts totaling one-million dollars by anonymous donors.

The initial phase of the Expanding Our Legacy campaign was co-chaired by Dexter and Lori Lummus, 1980 graduates of St. Pius.  More than 1,300 donors made pledges in excess of $5.25 million to the project. This was the first building initiative at the school in over eight years when the arts wing, cafeteria and stadium were rebuilt during the Building on Faith campaign.

“We wish to thank all of those who have supported this project over the past few years. We are fortunate to have men and women of great faith, vision and the fortitude to undertake a project such as this in this unsettled time,” Director of Development David L. Buechner said. “We are going to vigorously pursue the funding of the $2.75 million balance of the project that will complete this beautiful addition to the campus.”

FACTS ABOUT THE SEAVER FAMILY SPORTS COMPLEX

Baseball Field Features:
177 Bags of rubber pellets
210 Truckloads of gravel
First high school turf baseball field in Georgia

Baseball Field Dimensions:
320’ Left & Right Field Lines
338’ Left Field Power Alley
355’ Right Field Power Alley
390’ Straight-Away Center field

Multi-Purpose Field:
Dimensions 210’ x 225’
New Generation of Polymer Grass Blades
Drains 8” of Rainfall per hour

Underground Detention System:
37,000 Gallon Capacity
51,000 Cubic Feet of Water

General Contractor:
May Moeller Purcell Construction

Engineering:
Wolverton & Associates

Landscaping Contractor:
Personal Touch Landscaping

Turf Company:
Deluxe Athletics