At the November meeting of the Perry School Board, the Dewey Field renovation project took some steps forward.

Mike Murphy with Larson Engineering, who will be serving as the project manager, gave a presentation to the Board about phase one of the improvements to the complex. The first phase will include construction of a new entryway on the northeast side of the field, a new concession stand, and an additional 1,000 seats in the north bleachers. Phase one is estimated to cost $1.1 million. The majority of the funds will come from the $350,000 matching-funds donation from the family of the late Pete VanKirk. The school has already matched the $350,000, but that will still leave them with around $500,000 to raise over the next nine months. If they fall a little short, Superintendent Clark Wicks said the remainder would likely have to come from the Statewide Penny for Infrastructure or Physical Plant and Equipment Levy funds.

Wicks and the School Board are thrilled about the project, as they feel the field has fallen considerably behind, and doesn’t convey their sense of pride in the school. “I just am so excited about this project, because it’s more than just the renovation of Dewey Field and the entrance. It’s about who we are, who we want to be. And trying to make that statement when people come into that stadium, that they can just sense and they have a feel that this is a place that has pride in its school and its community.”

The Board approved the master plan for phase one, as well as a contract with Larson Engineering. Murphy said they will look to bid the project in January, with construction starting in April and an estimated completion date for phase one of August 15, 2018. To learn more about this and other topics from the Perry School Board meeting, listen to Tuesday’s Perry Fareway Let’s Talk Dallas County program at RaccoonValleyRadio.com.