Schools
Royal Oak High School Athletic Facilities Get Upgrades
A portion of funds from bonds recently approved by voters will be used to improve athletic fields and facilities at Royal Oak High.
ROYAL OAK, MI — If there was a clear mandate given at the polls on Nov. 7, it was voters giving the Royal Oak Schools the green light to sell $59.9 million in bonds over the next few years. Some 72 percent of voters, in fact, gave the issue a thumbs up.
Funding from the bonds will be used for site and facility improvements, technology upgrades, the purchase of equipment and renovations of athletic facilities. Bonds will be sold in two series, the first of approximately $26.9 million will be sold in 2018. The second series of approximately $33 million will be sold in early 2020.
Improving the fields Royal Oak High teams compete on is a priority, district officials said. “Athletic facilities are often the first experience a resident has at ROHS,” the district wrote prior to the election on its website. “We want them to be welcoming and convey our commitment to excellence.”
Find out what's happening in Royal Oakfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Key athletic improvements will include:
● Construction and relocation of new tennis courts
● Reconstruction of track to create an eight-lane track
● Athletic support buildings such as team rooms, toilet rooms, ticket booth and concessions building
● Improving drainage and stormwater management in the fields.
● Providing path connections between the various athletic field
Find out what's happening in Royal Oakfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Current ticket and concessions facilities lack capacity for large attendance events, district officials said. For track, soccer, lacrosse, football, there are currently no team rooms or restrooms accessible to teams, according to the district.
“Our current tennis courts are beyond their useful life and require complete reconstruction to continue our program at the high school; resurfacing them is no longer an option.”
The idea is to make Royal Oak High a viable option for hosting large athletic events, such as regional track meets and tennis tournaments. District officials also believe upgrading the athletic facilities will “help us remain competitive in student recruitment and retention.”
Photo by Scott Daniel (Patch Staff)
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
