The Fight For Lights
Photo Credit: Eric Evans
The debate over football field lights continues to cause tensions between Atherton residents and the school district.
An excited crowd filled Menlo-Atherton’s bleachers on October 30 this year, deafening the opposing Sacred Heart Gators in the Bear’s second to last home football game. The M-A players and fans were quick to forget the 48-14 loss, but one thing is sure to remain at the forefront of football fans’ minds: the debut of Friday Night Lights at Menlo-Atherton.
The temporary field lights rented for the game created much more than a fluorescent glow. The atmosphere itself became the greatest appeal of the game, regardless of the dismal score. Everyone from the players’ enthusiastic parents to the screaming M-A students reported the same phenomenon throughout the unusually packed bleachers- everyone was having a good time.
The huge turnout did more than foster a fun environment; with such a large crowd there to support the team, the result was large profits from both ticket and snack sales. The numbers don’t lie: ticket sales that average around $1,600 increased to $5,500, and snacks took in $3,100 as opposed to the usual $700.
So why, after such a great success, are we not rushing to immediately install lights on the football field?
Residents of the areas that border M-A are not quite as enthusiastic. “They are generally concerned with three things,” says Menlo-Atherton Principal Matthew Zito. “The actual light coming from the games, noise, and potential crime.” M-A Athletic Boosters member Susan Mohr agrees.
“We had a meeting with neighbors and it appears safety is their biggest concern,” she says. ”Our committee is working on putting together information to address security and all of their other issues.”
Despite the objections of the neighbors, the fight for field lights at M-A has reached the school board and is on the district’s agenda for discussion.
“It’s really in the hands of the School Board right now,” says Ms. Mohr. “They have to evaluate the cost, and possibly go through the CEQA (environmental impact) review process.”
For now, Menlo-Atherton will have to wait for further discussions and subsequent decisions. But the cooperation of the community has definitely made the case more promising.
Susan Mohr explains, “We’ve just had such an outpouring of community support, and I think the Board was really impressed with the student involvement. We’ve gotten over 200 letters from the community, and [M-A] Leadership’s been helping us get signatures from students.”
As frustrating as the process may be, the Bears will hopefully be able to look forward to more Friday night games as soon as next season. Despite the opposition, Principal Zito is hopeful for the outcome of the discussions.
“The neighbors have already said they might agree to portable lights for a few games every year. They aren’t permanent, but we would be able to have more night games. This is a big step from just a point-blank no.”
Do you want to get involved in the fight for lights? Email Susan Mohr at SMDMohr@aol.com to be included in the email distribution list! Get the latest on the lights committee and find out what you can do to make Friday Night Lights a reality. Students who are interested in being the student representative on the lights committee should also email Ms. Mohr- be prepared to take an active role!
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L-Long over due for M-A pride
I-Illuminating the evening sky
G- Go Bears! Yes, Go Bears!
H- Hand it to the committee!
T -Tonight!
S- Sending our message through the heavens
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From the data given in the article, it seems like the poll seems a bit off, given that we would not have that extra money without the lights. In other words, the lights will pay for themselves and we won’t save any money by not installing them, we could lose money even. I’m sure it will work out fine though, given how reasonable, laid-back and selfless Atherton residents are known to be
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The acrostic is right. Go lights.
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School spirit at M-A sucks Lights Would make a big difference!!!!!!!!
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I’m noticing a trend in the photos on Kate’s sports related articles.
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Notice the updates in the Almanac about testing to happen in September.
http://www.almanacnews.com/news/show_story.php?id=5824
The long tradition of daytime-only football games at Menlo-Atherton High School is under intensifying scrutiny.
As wary Atherton neighbors argue for a go-slow approach out of concern for unwanted noise, light and possibly crime intruding into their community during night games, M-A’s football and lacrosse boosters are pushing for lights.
The idea gained momentum last October, when M-A hosted Sacred Heart Preparatory High School in an experimental night football game that proved both popular and profitable.
The governing board of the Sequoia Union High School District moved things along on Wednesday, Jan. 20, by unanimously approving a $31,000 two-month environmental-impact study by Menlo Park-based TRA Environmental Sciences.
The study will assume the use of permanent lights and will include conversations with all stakeholders, including neighbors, officials at M-A, and possibly contacts in local government in Menlo Park and Atherton, school district spokeswoman Bettylu Smith said via e-mail.
In a nod to the complexity of the issue, the Sequoia board in its initial look at the matter in November had discussed the possibility of long-term use of temporary lights.
Portable generator-driven lights run about $2,500 per use, Ms. Smith said. Clean and quiet “higher quality” temporary lights tied to the electrical grid would cost between $30,000 and $50,000 per year, she said.
Permanent lights would cost the district about $250,000.
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