BY DARRELL HALEN

Plans were recently unveiled to upgrade athletic facilities at Windham High School at an estimated cost of more than $5.4 million.

The plans call for the addition of two ball fields, a second gymnasium and a stadium featuring an artificial turf field and a track.

Al Letizio Jr., chairman of the Windham School Board, and Glenn Davis, the school district’s representative to the school building project, unveiled the plans during the board’s Tuesday, Oct. 2, meeting.

The stadium would cost $4 million, the softball and baseball diamonds would cost $250,000 each, and the 60-foot by 110-foot gymnasium would cost $900,000.

Letizio said inflation of 7 percent needs to be factored in.

Currently, Windham students attend Salem High School. Windham High School is slated to open in the fall of 2009.

For the school site to accommodate the extra facilities and a future 900-student middle school, town-owned recreation and conservation land adjacent to the site would have to be used.

The proposed upgrade was unveiled after several residents complained that current plans do not provide sufficient space for a full sports program.  

One resident, Paul Cino, called current plans a “nonstarter” for supporting an 800-student school.

Patrick Corbin, the executive director of the New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association and a former principal of Salem High School, said athletics provide important life lessons to students.

“I believe athletics is a key component of school programs,” he said.

Sending students elsewhere to play creates liability issues and expecting Windham athletes to use Salem High School’s track isn’t feasible, Corbin said.

And others, such as State Rep. Charlie McMahon, said the school district would be doing a disservice to students if it didn’t provide a topnotch sports program.

“I believe we should do it first class or no class,” he said.

An athletic committee, chaired by Letizio, recommended to the School Board a list of athletic teams the school should offer, along with two ballfields, a second gymnasium and a track with an artificial turf field. It does not provide a timetable for adding them.

Barbara Coish, a School Board member, said she believed some town officials would be opposed to giving up recreation and conservation land.

One member of the school’s building committee, Laura Bellavia, questioned why they would.

“We’re all part of the town,” she said. “It’s me and you and people in the audience and all the people watching (at home).”