By Sara Beth Williams–
A groundbreaking ceremony for a new stadium at Mesa Verde High School in Citrus Heights is set to take place on August 30. The stadium is a signature project for the campus and funding was made possible through voter-approved bond money allotted by Measure N.
The project’s design includes a brand-new sports stadium which will have a seating capacity of just over 2,500, a synthetic track and field, and new bleachers, press box, concessions and restroom buildings. Other various exterior upgrades are also planned, including parking lot and tennis court refurbishment.
In a news release, San Juan Unified School District announced that demolition of above ground facilities began over the summer, including that of the tennis courts, storage shed and track and field. Completion of the stadium is anticipated to be in the spring of 2023.
Mesa Verde’s campus has received other improvements throughout the last two decades, including the construction of a new library building and a new gymnasium.
Lost Creek Court, Cessna Drive, Brocade Drive, and Candlelight Way all border the perimeter of the site where the stadium is to be constructed. Some residents who live in the surrounding neighborhoods expressed their concerns in a CBS Sacramento news report dated April 18, 2022. Homeowners worried over potential late-night noise and bright lighting during home games, and potential increases in parking difficulties and crime.
In an email to The Sentinel, Sarah Gallivan, who works closely with Mesa Verde’s facilities team on bond projects, said the San Juan district is planning to implement a variety of measures in response to residents’ concerns. The district is exploring options such as, more fencing and gates within neighborhoods to block access and discourage neighborhood parking, utilizing a volume limiter on the PA system, adding vision and noise control louvers on the top of bleachers, and planting evergreen trees along the home side of the stadium. The stadium lights will also have a hard stop at 10 p.m..
Gallivan said the signature project “will transform the culture of the campus,” and that the new stadium will be utilized for a wide range of athletic programs on campus. The new facilities will also be available for the surrounding community to use.
Other alumni and members of the community have expressed their excitement over the construction of the new stadium on the Mesa Verde Football Facebook Page after the signature project details were posted to the page on March 22, 2022.
Local resident Annabelle Corsi, a class of ’99 graduate of Mesa Verde, expressed support for the stadium in a message to The Sentinel last week and said she plans to attend games.
The groundbreaking ceremony for the new stadium will take place on Aug. 30 at 10:30 a.m., on Mesa Verde’s campus located at 7501 Carriage Drive. The community is invited to attend.
