If you build it, will they come? If you build it, will they come? (April 23, 2004)

by Colleen Corcoran Football stadium lights at Palo Alto High School appear to have bright future

Paly students and athletes arrived at the April 20 school board meeting in varsity-letter jackets, speeches in hand.

Their mission: to persuade the school board to install 80-foot stadium lights at the Hod Ray football field and track paid for by a group of donors. Their arguments were overshadowed only by their excitement of a potentially brighter future for the venerable field.

But it seemed they already had some allies on the board. While a final vote won't occur until May 11, board members spoke of "when," not if, lights are installed. The project has already been submitted to the architect with instructions for "directed lighting" similar to that used on Stanford fields -- with shields that reduce light spillover. The four lights will be placed at the 15 yard lines and have 18 lights per pole.

"Playing under the lights has a certain mystique that cannot be created playing during the day," argued football team captain Trevor Bisset.

The invocation of magical moments proved more convincing than complaints from residents of nearby neighborhood across Churchill Avenue and Alma Street that the lights would add to the ambient sound of thousands of cars and dozens of trains daily. Up to 1,500 potential spectators could attend the lighted games, neighbors said, and announcers would be heard in scores of homes.

"I am concerned that once the lights are installed there will be no end to the activities," Carol Anderson of 86 Churchill Ave. complained.

"Look at the possibility of going to Foothill College" to play night games, Hartmut Sadrozinski of 62 Churchill Ave. said.

The field would be used for six night football games per year, plus track meets and evening practices. Gunn High School students, whose field also lacks lights, would have access to the field. But Earl Hansen, Paly athletic director and football coach, said, Gunn probably wouldn't use the field more than twice a year. Two nearby residents supported the proposal. One was a Palo Alto High School track athlete.

A pilot night game was held Nov. 15, 2003, under rented lights. There were no neighborhood complaints. Instead, Chris Stirret, a member of Paly's Booster Club said, "There was a feeling I have not seen in all the years I have watched games -- a community feeling."

Athletes are currently excused early from class for 3:15 p.m. games during the fall football season. Athletes could finish classes if the field were lighted.. Games would be scheduled on Fridays at 5:15 p.m. for freshmen and sophomores, and at 7:30 p.m. for varsity athletes.

"We're not waiting with bated breath," Deputy Superintendent Bob Golton said. "These installations are taking place all over the Bay Area. ... This is not breaking new ground."

There is a fleeting nature to the proposal. Donors are footing the $181,500 to purchase, plan and install the lights. The board will fund the utilities cost associated with the lighting.

"I feel like night games are a privilege and privileges need to be earned and can be revoked if misused," board President Cathy Kroymann warned.

Addressing unhappy residents of the nearby Southgate neighborhood, board member Mandy Lowell added, "Life is made of tradeoffs. What I can say is that I think it'll be over by 10. ... You are going to pay a price and I am sorry."

Staff intern Colleen Corcoran can be e-mailed at ccorcoran@paweekly.com

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