December 7, 2004 > Tak Fudenna Stadium plans to be unveiled Dec. 1

by Gary Leatherman

The engineers and architects who developed the renovations for Tak Fudenna have scheduled a gala unveiling of their plans at meeting of the Fremont Unified School District Citizens' Bond Oversight Committee on Dec. 1. The presentation will include a three-dimensional animation of the new stadium and the immediately surrounding area. The meeting will be at 7 p.m. in the cafeteria at Washington High School, 38442 Fremont Boulevard.

Engineer Frank Rosenblum created the special presentation because, he said, as a resident of Fremont, he knows how important the stadium renovations will be to improving the safety of students who use the facility and the potential for FUSD to host regional athletic events. He said the project has generated considerable interest in the community and people certainly will want to know what is happening when the bulldozers roll in to start the project in January.

FUSD Facilities Director Therese Gain said the project will be completed in two phases. The first will be to replace the existing grass field with a high-quality artificial turf and to install a new all-weather track. Phase I is expected to be completed in time for spring soccer.

After a construction hiatus in the month of June to accommodate graduations, Phase II projects including the installation of a dramatic new entrance, constructing two new restroom buildings and a snack bar, renovating the locker room and bleachers, upgrading the electrical service, and reconfiguring the parking area are planned. All work is scheduled to be finished in time for the 2005-06 football season, Gain said.

Rosenblum said the new stadium is expected to be the finest in the East Bay when the renovations are complete. "This stadium will meet the standards for any level of competition," he said. "It will be built to specifications that will qualify it for certification as an Olympic venue."

Although Olympic athletes may not use it in the near future, it is expected the stadium will be more or less in constant use by student and community athletes playing football, soccer and track and field. The artificial turf will withstand far heavier use and will not require the same recovery periods as a grass field, he said.

Gain said FUSD officials are hopeful that the new stadium will attract many regional athletic events and not only will become a source of district revenue, but also will recover its status as a source of community pride.