Ohio County Schools, Wheeling Park Commission Sign for New Field

Photo by Joselyn King

The new athletic field at Wheeling Park High School isn't just about softball and soccer, but about "community" and the public being able to enjoy it, according to school officials.

Though students have been using the facility since the start of the school year, it sits on property owned by the Wheeling Park Commission.

On Thursday, Ohio County Schools signed an agreement with the park commission to manage and use the land. Under the agreement, Ohio County Schools will pay the commission $1 per year for the next 30 years. Additionally, the contract provides for two 10-year extensions of the agreement, according to Ohio County Board of Education President David Croft.

A sense of well-being and health is already being experienced on the field by students, according to physical education teacher Audrey Abraham.

"Back in the fall, when we first had access to the field, we were using it for many different activities," she explained. "One of those activities we were doing was yoga.

"After we were done, one of the girls said to me, 'That was life changing.' It was a beautiful day, and we were outside. We just want people to know we're using it for many different things."

Fitness, ultimate frisbee and disc golf class time has taken place on the field.

"We are trying to incorporate many different activities other than what it was intended for," Abraham added.

The athletic field's designated role is to be home to the softball and soccer teams, and as space for the band to practice marching routines.

Croft termed the annual lease for $1 "very generous" to Ohio County Schools. Even as construction on the athletic field continued, the school district and the Wheeling Park Commission negotiated the agreement for more than two years.

Croft explained negotiations slowed for a time as the Wheeling Park Commission brought on Bob Peckenpaugh as its new president and CEO last year.

"For us, we just wanted to make sure (the athletic field property) remained a community resource," he said. "There was discussion between the park commission and Ohio County Schools that we wanted to make this property available to the public, and the question became, 'How do we do that?'"

In the end, it was decided the school district's role would be to "just manage the property," Croft continued. Croft and fellow board member Molly Aderholt - both attorneys, worked with the park commission's counsel, James Gardill, to achieve the lease agreement.

Ohio County Schools and its large number of students "touch the community in a big way," and the Wheeling Park Commission wanted to be part of that, according to Peckenpaugh.

"I wouldn't say partnering with schools is a priority (for the commission) as much as it is partnering with the community," he said.

Aderholt added the athletic field will be "a true community" asset in that it will serve all students -- not just those on the softball and soccer teams.

"And it will be open not just to our school family, but the community as a whole," she said.

Aderholt foresees the opportunity to bring to the athletic field soccer and softball tournaments similar to the Beast of the East baseball tournament, and she said this would be good for the community.

Ohio County Schools last year paid the Astro Turf company $588,581 to place turf on the athletic field.

The space for the field was widened onto the park commission's property so that it would be large enough to accommodate soccer matches.