A football stadium renovation will now be incorporating the Americans with Disabilities Act standards. The construction began on May 18, 2015.

LZHS is renovating the football stadiums by doubling the seats of 1,000 to around 2,500, as well as adding ADA, Americans with Disabilities Act, accessibilities.

Ryan Rubenstein, assistant principal for facilities and student activities, said there will be a ramps leading up the sides of the bleachers to assist wheelchairs. The school will also be replacing the side walk and fence leading to the field. However the visitor’s side of the stadium will remain untouched during construction due to the budget.

“Our stadium is old, also I think we, as a school, have outgrown our stadium with some of our successes and all of our sports, ” Rubenstein said.

Rubenstein says, “Lake Zurich has had these old bleachers as long as he has been here, around 12 years, and is glad to have this luxury to remodel”.

One thing Rubenstein is particularly looking forward to is ADA allowing for students and family with disabilities to have a seat.

“I think it’s totally necessary to have new bleachers. Everyone should have a chance to come see the games and not be hindered by the fact they cannot get up the bleachers,” Rubenstein said.

Lyle Erstad, director of facilities and grounds for the district, and Rubenstein say the incorporation of the ADA standards was something Lake Zurich needed but also wanted to do. They say with any large scale project of a public facility the construction needs to be up to current codes and ADA compliant.

“The standards are there that we have to meet, so in that respect I’m obligated to provide it, but having had family members that have been confined to a wheelchair, it’s a personal topic as well. You want to give everyone an opportunity and if you create a barrier you’re not doing that,” Erstad said.

The price of this renovation is approximately around $2.6 million. This total was approved by the Board of Education and includes the bleachers, new fences, a new sidewalk, as well as remodeling of the softball fields.

Lacey Ketcham, freshman, has a younger brother, Adam, with autism. Adam does not have physical difficulties with getting around the bleachers when he comes to watch the games, but the Ketcham family works a lot with SNAP and other special needs programs and realizes the difficulties these people have.

“I think incorporating ADA is really neat and nice of our school to do. People who are in a wheelchair have a hard time getting around. Once the school has this it will be really nice for the disabled people and benefit LZHS,” Ketcham said.

The construction is estimated to be completed on August 5, in time for the upcoming school year.

“Before the bleachers can be in use, the Regional Office of Education as well as the Village of Lake Zurich will make sure everything is up to standards,” Erstad said.