Modernizing legacy: Update on Memorial Stadium construction

Courtesy of Tim Riché of Madera Unified School District

The reconstruction of Memorial Stadium is going strong, and foundation is starting to be poured as seen in a drone photo last week.

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Occasionally, we hear the lingering heartbreak from alumni regarding the beautiful red-brick, Spanish-style buildings that were lost in the 60s and 70s due to earthquake safety mandates. 

Today, the Madera Unified School District Board of Trustees faces those same heavy considerations: How to protect our history while ensuring the absolute safety of the next generation.

A confluence of issues recently brought us to the realization that Memorial Stadium could no longer wait. Since the 1980s, silt has bled from concrete seams with every rain, raising serious concerns about sinkholes and structural erosion beneath the grandstands. We reached a point where we could no longer ignore the visible sand and dirt on our sidewalks. There was no way of truly knowing the extent of the problem.