The field house at Jim Blacklock Field is currently undergoing a renovation project that will last until at least the beginning of spring.

Workers from Windsor Valley Construction are building a steel-framed roof structure that will help bring more air quality to the field house. The project began at the end of the 2022-23 school year in May, when workers tore the old roof off because it had many leaks. Also, mold was growing in the building.

“This (project) has been in discussion for quite a few years,” said Ned Stille, maintenance director of the Montgomery County R-II School District. “We have some of the federal money from the COVID deal that was left over. Air quality was one of the stipulations that could be used for, so we thought that was a good place to use it.”

The project will continue throughout the football season. The football locker rooms are located in the field house.

“Football has made other arrangements. They’re using different rooms in the school for their locker rooms,” Stille said. “We’ll have it good enough for them to use the machine room during the middle of games and stuff so they don’t have to go back to the school. They’ve been pretty flexible and made it work.”

Stille said he was hoping the project would be finished by the time football season began, but it will not be completed until March, when track season starts.

“It took longer to get everything rolling than we thought it would, so that’s where we’re at,” Stille said.

The MCHS football team defeated Van-Far 24-22 in its home opener on Sept. 8. The Wildcats will also have home games against Bowling Green (Sept. 22), Louisiana (Oct. 6) and North Callaway (Oct. 13).