ROCKINGHAM — Even though summer vacation started for the students at Richmond Senior earlier this month, there is plenty of work going on around the campus.
The track surrounding the football field at Raider Stadium as well as the tennis courts are being repaved according to Richmond athletic director Kevin Mabe. The projects are expected to be competed by Hudson Paving on or before Aug. 15.
“It’s been quite a while since the track has been done,” Mabe said. “The dual tennis courts were cracked up pretty bad and were basically unplayable.
“Dr. (George) Norris is a former high school tennis coach and he saw the need to do it as did Dr. Michael Perry, who I believe was a high school track coach.”
Richmond boys track coach Reggie Miller said a conference school was concerned about the safety of its athletes running around the old surface.
“Hoke County was worried about our track and how unsafe it was,” Miller said. “I’m glad we are fixing up the track. I’m really excited.”
Mabe added once Hudson Paving began its preliminary work on the dual tennis courts, it realized it would have to rebuild the two courts.
“When they were first built, they were just built on the ground, there wasn’t a base,” Mabe said. “The other four courts are going to be resurfaced.”
Paula York, the tennis coach at RSHS, was excited to learn she will have “new” courts for her teams to play on next year.
“I’m just so happy they are getting done,” York said. “We knew they would have to rebuild the dual courts because they were in the worst shape. Hopefully, they can get the roots cut out and put a base underneath.”
According to Ashley Simmons, the public information officer for the Richmond County Schools, the expected cost to repave the track is just over $225,000, while the rebuilding and resurfacing of the tennis courts is estimated at just under $80,000.
The money for the two projects will come from the Richmond County Schools’ Local Capital Outlay Fund, which is used for the upkeep of system’s buildings and facilities.
— Sports editor Shawn Stinson can be reached at 910-997-3111, ext. 14, or by email at sstinson@heartlandpublications.com
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