By Gary Lloyd
Hewitt-Trussville cross country and track and field coach David Dobbs broke down a bit as he listed the number of county titles, area championships and amount of runners who once competed at the track at Jack Wood Stadium that went on to run in college.
Dobbs, the leader of the program since 1991, has seen many meets at Jack Wood Stadium, instructed at hundreds of practices.
“It’s time to make new memories. It’s time to let her go,” Dobbs said of the track at Jack Wood Stadium.
City of Trussville, Trussville City Board of Education, Blalock Building Company and other area leaders broke ground today near the site of the now under construction Hewitt-Trussville Stadium. City, school and Blalock Building Company officials wore white hard hats and moved dirt with gold-bladed shovels.
City of Trussville, Trussville City Schools and Blalock Building Company officials break ground at the Hewitt-Trussville Stadium site Wednesday.
photo by Diane Poole
“This is just a great day,” said Trussville City Board of Education President Bill Roberts. “Great days ahead.”
Trussville City Schools Superintendent Pattie Neill spoke to football teams from Hewitt-Trussville high and middle schools, the track team and Hewitt-Trussville Marching Husky Band members.
“I’m just so happy for all of you,” Neill said.
Trussville-based Blalock Building Company was revealed as the project’s low bidder this summer, with an adjusted base bid — after a $240,000 deduct — of $13,353,900.
Trussville City Schools Superintendent Pattie Neill and Hewitt-Trussville High School Principal Tim Salem at the groundbreaking
photo by Diane Poole
After six alternate bids for aspects of the project — precast concrete visitor seating, multipurpose field lighting package and overflow parking, kitchen equipment upgrade for the visitor concession, precast concrete for a home side and visitor side expansion and soccer concessions/restroom building — Blalock’s bid totaled $14,626,550.
Hewitt-Trussville head football coach Hal Riddle, who played at Jack Wood Stadium in the 1970s and has coached there as the Huskies’ head coach since 2002, said he was “excited” for younger players to build new memories in the new stadium.
“It’s been a long time coming,” said Trussville Mayor Gene Melton. “And it’s here.”
Contact Gary Lloyd at news@trussvilletribune.com and follow him on Twitter @GaryALloyd.
