The new field takes an impressive picture in overhead drone photos taken by the AstroTurf company.

Assistant Superintendent Rick Jones expects the field should be ready for use by today.

“They have about a day or more of sand, then a day and a half of rubber placement,” he said.

In addition, the poles are up for the new fencing. Plans called for the fencing grid to go up over the weekend.

photo by: Photo provided

New turf is down on the baseball field at Wheeling Park High School.

“Nobody has been on it yet,” Jones said of the new baseball turf. “They’re still finishing it. We’re hoping early (this) week, and the team gets to practice on it before they play a game.”

The first game on the new turf is likely to be the next home game set for 5 p.m. Friday against Brooke High School.

WPHS was able to switch out most of the home games earlier in the season, and there will still be a number of contests on the new turf this season. There will be upcoming home games against John Marshall, St. Clairsville, Bridgeport and Harrison Central high schools.

“We only missed a couple of home games,” Jones said. “We still have a handful of home games, and senior night will be there.

“Everybody is happy with the project. It’s a great project.”

Last August, the Ohio County Board of Education approved a $1.5 million contract with Astroturf to place turf on the field. The money was paid from the school district’s general budget, and is not part of the $42.2 million in bond work approved by voters in 2018.

Natural grass previously on the WPHS baseball field came with drainage issues, and rainy spring conditions often resulted in games being canceled throughout the baseball season.

The girls softball team, meanwhile, plays its games on the new multi-purpose field at the school that already has similar turf from Astroturf.