New Niagara Wheatfield Athletic Complex Enjoyed by Current Students and Alumni

Appel Osborne had the privilege of designing a new athletic complex that meets the specific needs of the district’s sports and physical education programs.  The new multipurpose synthetic turf field was designed to accommodate football, baseball, softball, lacrosse, soccer, and field hockey and allows for baseball and softball to be played simultaneously.  The stadium is complete with sports lighting, bleachers, scoreboards, fencing, and backstops.  The district is already experiencing the benefits of their new facility.  The permanent lights allow games to be scheduled into the evening, and the synthetic turf enables physical education classes to be held outdoors.  COVID-19 has impacted the physical education program, and having an outdoor alternative allows them more flexibility with their curriculum. 

Beyond the advantages that the current school community is enjoying, the new athletic field has also reinforced Falcon Pride in two 1970 alumni.  Gary Strenkoski and Dan Wendt, who played in the first game on the district’s first official home football field in 1970, have remained friends for over 50 years and were excited to tour the new complex.  They reminisced about how far the sports program and home field has come since practicing in an open cow field. 

Our firm always enjoys seeing the school spirit that is cultivated on the fields we create and seeing it spark great memories and ongoing school pride in alumni is tremendously rewarding.

You can read about the new facility and the alumni’s stories in this article:  Niagara Frontier Publications