By Naomi Tsuang
Online News Editor
The MBX Foundation, an organization within the Manhattan Beach Unified School District that provides financial support for physical education and athletic programs at Costa, began the second phase of the Meadows field project on Monday that will install a $2 million turf field on the Meadows side of Costa’s campus.
The two-phase Meadows field project began construction on Nov. 17. The construction of the first phase will be funded by the MBUSD and will cost $357,000. Phase one, which includes replacing all fields and parking in the Meadows area with fire and security roads, relocating utilities and building retaining walls to hold back earth and water, is still ongoing alongside the second phase.
Photos: MBX begins the second phase of the Meadows Field project.
“The first phase [is going] very well,” MBUSD Board President Jennifer Cochran said. “The old Meadows field was uneven and in bad shape, [and] there is so much demand for field space at Costa and in the South Bay. Turfing the field will make it much more usable and will mean that so many more teams will have practice time after school at Costa.”
MBX is funding the second phase, which consists of the installation of the turf field for $2 million and plans to finish it by the beginning of next school year. The turf field will be approximately 492 feet long and 300 feet wide, and within it there will be a football field, a soccer field, markings for rugby and lacrosse, and a baseball field in the corner, MBX Foundation President Gary Wayland said.
“I am really happy that our Costa teams will have another first-rate field,” Cochran said. “We have so much demand for Waller Stadium from both Costa sports and from outside organizations.”
Costa football, soccer, rugby, lacrosse, baseball, softball and marching band will be able to use the field once it is completed, along with outside youth groups such as the American Youth Soccer Organization and the youth flag football league. While the Meadows field is under construction, most Costa teams practice at Waller Stadium during times that do not interfere with already scheduled activities after school.
Link: Learn more about the first phase of construction.
“Ultimately, we hope that all of our teams that are in season will be able to practice after school on a good field rather than coming back to practice at night,” Cochran said. “It will be a great place to play games, in addition to being a great asset for the sports teams in the community.”
MBX and the construction company, Bernard Brothers, gave community members a tour of the progress of the field on May 8. According to Wayland, the Meadows turf field will use a combination of coconut shells and corn husks as an all-natural fill for the turf rather than the recycled rubber tire crumbs that are usually used on synthetic turf fields and playgrounds but which potentially have carcinogenic issues.
Link: Learn more about the project.
“I’m excited about the turf field,” Wayland said. “This is a project that I have been working on for a long time, and I think that it is a wonderful addition to Mira Costa and the community. I think everyone is going to love it, and I’m thrilled to see it come to a conclusion.”
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