LYNCHBURG, Va. – Upgrades are continuing for a Lynchburg city high school. School staff say this round of renovations will have a major impact on sports at the school for years to come.
Phase three of Heritage High School's massive renovation is in full swing.
By the end of this year, students will have state-of-the-art athletic facilities to match their state-of-the-art school.
"Sometimes you don't get access to these facilities until you get to college so our kids are getting a first-class experience athletically and academically in our building," said Tim Beatty, principal of Heritage High School.
The new Heritage High School, featuring cutting-edge technology, was completed last fall. The old 1970s-era Heritage High was brimming with structural issues. It was demolished this past winter to make room for the athletic upgrades, artificial turf football and baseball fields, tennis courts, and new student parking areas.
In total, the project is coming in under budget at around $74 million.
"This whole project's been a long time coming. It's been over 10 years in the planning stages to get to this point. When it's all said and done Lynchburg will have a high school campus they can be proud of and in my opinion be one of the best in central Virginia," said Ben Copeland, assistant superintendent of Lynchburg City Schools.
While it's still a work in progress, school staff say the renovations are already making a mark on Heritage High School students.
"Football can have their own space, band can have their own space, baseball can have their own space. It's going to be an exciting year to be a Pioneer," said Beatty.
Planners say they are hoping to have phase three completed by October of this year.