Allentown board advances $15–18 million plan to rebuild Dieruff High practice field after student testimony

The Allentown School District’s building committee on Nov. 20 moved forward a proposal to rehabilitate the practice field used by Dieruff High School, a project administrators estimate will cost between $15 million and $18 million depending on whether the field uses natural grass or synthetic turf.

Superintendent Doctor Birx and administrators framed the proposal as part of a larger push to upgrade district athletic facilities and increase equitable access. The conceptual plan presented to the board calls for soil rehabilitation on a former quarry site at 820 East Tillman Street, a synthetic track, field-event areas, a small field house with restrooms and a weight room, and portable bleachers to fit the constrained site.

Board presentations emphasized the project’s schedule and cost considerations. “The project budget right now is between 15 and 18,000,000,” the district’s presenter said, noting the $3 million spread depends largely on whether the playing surface is grass or turf and that engineers must now finalize the layout. District staff said the engineering and design phase could take until fall 2026, followed by bidding and construction.

Students from Dieruff described daily burdens that the work aims to relieve. Ninth‑grade athlete Camila Franco told the board, “Every weekend, we spend nearly 5 hours on a bus just to practice on a real 400 meter track,” calling the travel time a loss of practice, daylight and family time. Another student said having on‑campus facilities would allow teams to shelter quickly during storms and reclaim hours otherwise spent transporting teams and equipment.

Administrators said the current site is close enough to Dieruff to be walkable but constrained, and that the conceptual plan may require adjustments during engineering: “What this track shows right now, it’s a little short, but we might be able to play with it,” a district engineer said. The administration also said if engineers determine the site cannot meet PIAA competition standards, meets would continue to be held at Jay Bernie Crum Stadium while the new facility serves as a consistent on‑site practice space.

Board members praised student advocacy and urged the district to proceed carefully. A motion to move the project forward to design and engineering was seconded and carried unanimously at the committee meeting; the item will be considered at the regular board meeting for final authorization to proceed to engineering and bidding.

Next steps the district described are completing engineering to verify whether a full 400‑meter track is viable within the budget, finalizing construction documents, and issuing a bid package; the administration estimated 21 months from design through occupancy if the district proceeds on the current timetable.