Habersham County’s School System has replaced the turf along the 90,175 square-foot field at Raider stadium for the first time in almost a decade. The replacement was completed on Dec. 20.
Habersham County’s Board of Education approved replacement of the field at a regular meeting Monday, Oct. 21.
The artificial turf, made of matrix-helix material, replaced a natural grass field in 2016 and had since deteriorated. The cost of replacement was around $621,400. A capital projects account covered the cost.
“(The turf) has reached its life expectancy,” Facilities and Maintenance Director Denise Gunn said in October. “It’s far past it…the fibers are becoming to where we’re losing a lot of them and we’ve got a lot of wear spots.”
With the field’s condition declining before expiration of a 10-year warranty, replacement came at a discount of $40,000.
School officials said the shock absorbent material of the turf makes for safer play on the gridiron for Habersham County football teams and other sports.
Habersham County Board of Education Chairman Doug Westmoreland noted use of the field at Raider stadium goes beyond just the sport of football.
“That field is used by more than just the football team,” Westmoreland said. “It gets used by our entire community…the boys and girls soccer team uses it. Graduation uses it. Special olympics uses it. It’s not just football. It’s always good to be informed and know the right and correct information when you’re talking about something.”
Work on the field was conducted by Texas-based Hellas Construction. School officials said the project also could bring opportunity for a Raider logo change, though no decision has been made on what that could look like.
