The school district is looking to purchase a plot of land outside Bexley at 935 N. Cassady Ave. They are currently in a due diligence period, and they are able to drop out of purchasing the land at any time. At approximately 28 acres, the land would allow for necessary additions, including new fields and athletic facilities for sports as well as new lab opportunities.
If the purchase goes through, the new land would be beneficial to the district because of its potential educational and athletic usage for faculty and students.
For years, the high school has struggled with finding enough space for athletic training. Carlton Smith Field, the softball field and the tennis courts are in constant use during the fall and spring seasons, resulting in some teams not getting a fair amount of practice time or having to practice in undesirable conditions. Wolfe Park has been a common practice location for many teams, but the fields are uneven and used by dog owners. Additionally, many teams are forced to practice late at night or before school in order to keep up with the work that teams from other schools put in at more reasonable times.
Both practicing before school or late at night can cause the athletes to lose out on necessary sleep. Not only could the lack of sleep negatively impact attention, but it could also affect the athletes’ ability to give 110% at practice the next day. This could also be detrimental to the student-athletes’ mental health. The new land would be a quick fix to this problem.
The practice fields would allow the athletes and teams a sufficient amount of time to sharpen their skills and become more successful in their sport. Additionally, the new facilities would give the student-athletes more time to study and get a solid eight hours of sleep every night.
The land could also introduce new academic opportunities for students. Since the land provides access to Alum Creek, AP Environmental Science and AP Biology labs could be conducted on the land. This would be beneficial to students who are interested in pursuing science after high school, and the opportunity would allow those students to get ahead of the curve and enjoy science beyond a traditional class.
Since the new land is outside of Bexley, busing may be required for athletes who aren’t able to drive themselves. However, this is negligible because the land is not significantly far away—roughly a five minute bus ride—so it would only add a short amount of time to practice. Also, there could be voluntary carpooling through either parents or teammates who are able to drive.
Some in the community have expressed disdain toward the purchase because of the high cost. A common misconception is that the money to buy the land is coming from the recent levy. In reality, the money from the levy will be used for daily expenses and teachers’ salaries. Others believe no money should be allocated to buy the land at all; however, the land will provide academic and athletic opportunities for students which will build characteristics that will benefit their future outside of Bexley.
Overall, the addition of sports fields, facilities and open-air lab space would strongly support Bexley students’ needs.