Seekonk High School Sports Get a Boost

$200,000 was appropriated for a new athletic field at Seekonk High School by voters at last Monday’s town meeting.

“I am grateful that the town approved this first step,” said School Superintendent Rich Drolet on Tuesday. “Our goal is to improve our flagship field at SHS, and for all of our SHS athletic teams (which include football, boys and girls soccer, boys and girls lacrosse, boys and girls track and field, and girls field hockey) to be able to play on campus at our flagship field at SHS.”

Drolet noted the town meeting appropriation approving will pay for the architectural and engineering design of the field. The school committee will go out to bid for the architectural and engineering design work this fall. The Town Moderator will appoint a Building Committee composed of Seekonk residents this winter.

“Work would not begin until the next phase is brought forward and approved via town meeting, which we hope would be brought forward and approved in the spring of 2020,” Drolet said.

Drolet said a new athletic field is badly needed for the school’s sports teams.

“Right now only our (high school) football and occasionally our (high school) soccer teams are able to play on this field,” Drolet explained. “If the next steps were to be approved at a 2020 Spring Town Meeting, then work on a new turf field would likely not begin until permitting processes were completed and approved in the fall of 2020 or the spring of 2021.”