Mayor Walsh announces West Roxbury Education Complex Field Improvements
Today Mayor Martin J. Walsh announced the start of construction of new athletic fields as part of the West Roxbury Education Complex, located at 1205 Veterans of Foreign Wars Parkway. Home to the West Roxbury High School Raiders football team, the existing collection of athletic fields have warranted a significant makeover to support the growing demands of the school and the community.
“This is an exciting addition to the Boston Public School athletic facilities system and the community of West Roxbury,” said Mayor Walsh. “These improvements will serve the next generation of our students and future civic leaders.”
The construction project will replace the existing fields with new artificial turf athletic fields consisting of a football field, baseball field, softball field and a multi-use field. The project will also construct a new 6-lane paved running track with spectator stands, three tennis courts, and two half-court basketball courts, and provide the various associated field event appurtenances along with a new, energy-efficient lighting system. New handicap accessible pathways will be constructed to provide access to the various athletic field areas as well as to the adjacent Millennium Park.
“The additional playing fields, artificial turf track field and the new lighting system will enable a larger number of children and adults to utilize the adjacent Millennium Park to its fullest capability,” said Olivia A. Waishek, President of the West Roxbury Civic and Improvement Association.
“Site preparation work started earlier this year, with the relocating of various utilities that serve the education complex,” said Michael Dennehy, Interim Commissioner for the Public Works Department. “The remainder of this year will be used to build up the field complex to support the various athletic fields, including the running track.”
Majority of the athletic field installation work will commence early next year, with the overall $18 million landfill capping and athletic field construction project slated to be completed by August of 2015.
