The stadium seats about 700 spectators and is home for Oakwood High School’s soccer, track, field hockey and lacrosse programs. Football games are still played at Mack Hummon Stadium behind the high school.
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Professional artist Suzanne Ley, with the help of a team of Oakwood students, created seven, three-sided painted metal towers to commemorate the building of the stadium and recognize 150 of the donors who made the stadium possible.
Ley was chosen to design and create the large piece, which features graphic images of a variety of sports and expressive images of athletes, reflecting Oakwood sports teams. Ley’s concept included allowing students to be part of the creative process.
Ley said she was “blown away by the students’ talent and enthusiasm.”
Members of the Oakwood athletic project say once the stadium was built, they went to work raising money for the appreciation project and determining how to thank donors.
“Donor appreciation was not in any of our areas of expertise, so we took some time doing research and talking to people more knowledgeable before making any decisions,” OAP member Lisa Sanford said.. “The idea of introducing public art as a way of thanking our donors and incorporating art with athletics was appealing to us, so we pursued that avenue.”
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Sanford says what began as a tribute to those who helped build Lane Stadium has become much more.
“It is the donor appreciation piece for Lane Stadium, but it is now also a way for artists and athletes to come together and build new traditions,” she explained.
The dedication program will be held just after the alumni field hockey game and prior to the alumni boys’ soccer game.
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