GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) – A long-standing part of the Sycamore Middle School campus has come down.

The large building on the Magnolia Street side of Sycamore School’s campus, which functioned as the music room and Ag/shop facilities for Gridley’s High School that was once located on the site, was torn down last week. It has been used for storage for many years until its failing roof made it unfeasible to keep anything of significance in it. As the building continued to age, it was boarded up to keep students and other curious minds out of the structure.

Superintendent Jordan Reeves says, “It was time. It (the building) was abandoned…no roof, safety issues, an eye-sore…” and construction personnel on site added that the materials the building was made of aren’t produced anymore, like square re-barb. It is believed to have been nearly 100 years old.

As the remains of the dilapidated building are removed, crews will prepare the area in its former footprint to be incorporated into the main field area of the campus. “So basically, what we are doing is a complete renovation of the field here,” says Reeves. We will “put new irrigation in, new piping, and once the contractors are done, we will put a sprinkler system as well. Then we’re going to hydroseed it.” The field is plagued by holes created by gophers, which poses a problem to athletes and students using the fields for play. “By doing this,” says Reeves of the process, “We are able to abate a lot of gophers, and make it safe” from holes, uneven terrain, etc.

When asked how long it had been since the field had gotten this type of upgrade, Reeves was unsure, saying that the irrigation system they had pulled out of the field was very old. The hydroseeding will speed up the growth process, but students and the community shouldn’t expect to be able to use the area until later in September. “We were anticipating probably the first month of school will be limited use,” to allow the new grass to take hold and root before the new turf is exposed to too much play.

The Gridley Unified School District has been working with the City of Gridley’s Parks and Recreation Department to identify alternate areas to serve for soccer practice and play, in the event the field is not ready in time for the start of the Soccer Season.