Chronicle Editorial

Football field renovations another plus for community

     Local sports fans have more to look forward to than just football when the Hampton-Dumont Bulldogs hit the gridiron this fall. A new all-in-one ticket booth, concession stand and bathroom facility will greet visitors at the H-D football field this September, and it's poised to become yet another attractive addition for both the school district and the communities it serves.

     The new building was spearheaded by organizers of the Hampton-Dumont Dog Pound Project. The group worked tirelessly throughout the past six months to make the new facility a reality, and it's great to see their hard work and dedication finally pay off. Foundation work and other preliminary construction progressed steadily during the past month, and it's going to be exciting watching this new addition develop into the finished product throughout the rest of the summer. The revamped south end zone will be a welcoming sight for local fans and visitors alike this fall.

     The new all-in-one facility didn't pay for itself. The school district is picking up half the $110,000 tab, while the H-D Dog Pound Project is covering the other part. Numerous individuals and local businesses rallied around the project and donated in droves to make it a reality. When it was all said and done, the response was astounding – the Dog Pound Project received around $110,000 in donations following a hard-fought fundraising campaign. The 50/50 funding agreement remains in tact, and the remaining Dog Pound money will be used for bleacher restoration and sidewalk installation at the football field.

     The H-D Dog Pound Project is yet another example of the selfless, community-driven attitude that's so prominent in Hampton, Dumont and the surrounding area. Volunteers saw a need for better facilities at the football field, and it's clear the new addition wouldn't be possible without their hard work. School districts operating on tight budgets often don't have cash to simply throw at large-scale renovation projects like this one. Without the initiative taken by local betterment groups, funding for local improvement project would come at the taxpayer’s expense. These groups speed up project development and save us some money in the process.

     The upgrades will have a two-fold impact on the school district and local communities. Obviously, the football field will simply look better with the new building, bleachers and sidewalks. The old wooden bleachers and deteriorating bathroom facilities made H-D's stadium seem rather dated, and these renovations will help remedy that. Additionally, the upgrades open the door for H-D to host large regional events like district track meets and other gatherings. State officials take facility capacity and modern amenities into account when they select host sites for these events, and it will be hard to pass up Hampton-Dumont once everything is completed.

     The upgrades at the football field join a long list of other community-driven projects already completed in Hampton and the surrounding area. Things like the Dumont track resurfacing, Rolling Prairie Trail and Hampton Aquatic Center all had massive amounts of help from public entities, businesses and private donors. These projects help make our communities more attractive, and they are an investment into the future viability of our county, cities and school districts.

     Kudos to the Hampton-Dumont Community School District, the Dog Pound's organizers and everyone that donated or helped with this project. H-D's football complex will rival the best stadiums throughout the area once it’s all said and done, and that’s certainly something the entire community can be proud of.