As everyone who is attending Wilcox might see, several renovations have come about throughout campus in recent months; the most obvious one is that the B building has a fresh new paint job, with even more squeaky shoes on this floor added along with it. Students may also notice the gym doors covered in a brand new, sleek paint job, adorned with the Charger logo. Some of the largest among the most notable additions though are the newly built bleachers and snack bar on the eastern side of the school surrounding our football field.
Previous Wilcox students may recall the deconstruction of the snack bar, bleachers, and tennis courts in the past following years, which were being reconstructed quickly afterward, spanning across several months of the last semester and continuing into the summer. Students in P.E. may especially recall the construction equipment and dedicated workers pouring their hearts into this long, grueling task during school days to complete it, so we can have more comfortable seating and improved sightlines, which promise to enhance the experience of watching games and events.
Not only were the bleachers remastered, but the snack bar and its refurbished buildings bring a warm, welcoming experience for customers and volunteers alike. These upgrades were made to enhance the overall atmosphere of the school, creating a more welcoming and enjoyable space for both students and visitors. Although achieving such a feat was no simple task, this took years of dedicated work and planning to reach its completion.
This project has been in the works for six years, including several different facilities across Wilcox. The scope of the project includes the deconstruction and reconstruction of the tennis courts while adding an eighth-court, replacing the old snack bar, and constructing new bathrooms along with concession buildings, and replacing the home and visitor bleachers on the football field. There were also several upgrades, such as a new stadium sound system and scoreboard, as well as new LED light fixtures. These were amazing new additions to Wilcox, but this didn’t come without a cost. A staggering $24,350,000 total was spent to construct everything in the past six years. These funds came from the Measure BB General Obligation Bond passed by voters in November 2018. There has been much discussion between several hundreds of school officials right under our noses, while students were attending school like normal. Even several neighbors were contacted regarding the construction taking place nearby.
Ironically, there were several different ideas that came about in the original plan, as an entire reconstruction of the bleachers weren’t even originally included in the project. When the tennis courts were created years ago, they were described to be unplayable by students, and it was quickly discovered that the construction included asbestos, leading to their inevitable closure and reconstruction. The bleachers were so old that there wasn’t enough room to reconstruct the courts, so the planning of the tennis courts had to account for that, allowing for even more ideas to come with that, including the upgrades to the sound system and LED lights that came with entirely new stadium lights. Since the visitor bleachers were being replaced, the District Bond Department, which was in control of the project, decided to just replace the home bleachers as well since they were also deteriorated. So basically, unplayable tennis courts started a domino process that resulted in what you see today.
These hardships didn’t come without their accomplishments, though. Students have shared their thoughts on the new facilities, particularly after the recent football game against Santa Clara, which took place on September 19, and showcased the revamped bleachers. The new seating created a much more comfortable environment for its attendees, with its cleanliness and modern architecture standing out as fans celebrated their Wilcox Football team on a Friday night.
Although the bleachers weren’t the only new facility showcased during the football game, a fellow student volunteering to work at the snack bar described it as more lively, holding better technology as well as being much grander and spacious compared to its former iteration. The whole buzz surrounding the upgrades has sparked a renewed interest in school spirit and participation in athletic events, promising us a notable future in events held here at Wilcox.
As the school continues to grow and evolve, there is hope that these changes will continue to inspire further facilities. Not only does the final product show the commitment that Wilcox High School has, but the journey from planning to the final construction highlights the sheer dedication that Charger spirit brings to everyone! We are fortunate that the voters and our Board of Trustees made the funds available to do the work that needed to be done!
