WPCNR'S PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE DAY. By the WPCNR Roving Photographer. November 21, 2007: The City School District dedicated the new Parker Stadium today at a Dedication Ceremony before 1,000 Highlands and Middle School Students at the brand new synthetic Field Turf stadium. After Principal of Highlands Middle School Diana Knight welcomed the students who filed into the stadium in a "practice" evacuation drill, she introduced Superintendent of Schools Timothy Connors.

1,000 Students filled the Stands this afternoon for the Parker Stadium Dedication Ceremony. The stadium built on-time by Leftek Construction opened today at a Dedication and Pep Rally.

Connors was greeted by a warm roar from the students when he started by asking them "How are you doing today?" (Roar), and the popular Superintedent set the tone of the day telling them how the Board of Education and the taxpayers of the community worked to bring them the new stadium. He encouraged them to take good care of it and enjoy it. He commended Dan Woodard for being the original visionary who convinced the school board of the need for the renovation of the high school field at Loucks, which will be completed in the spring, and the school board vision in also upgrading the Parker Stadium, originally built from 1928 to 1932. He then introduced Donna McLaughlin, President of the Board of Education, and Mayor Joseph Delfino.

Superintendent of Schools Timothy Connors Welcomes the Throng. Behind him is the Board of Education, Mayor Deflino and select dignataries.

Donna McLaughlin President of the Board of Education emphasized how important sports was in developing "discipline, self-sacrifice, and accountability," and encouraged all to participate in sports.

Mayor Joseph Delfino called it "a great day," recalling how he graduated form the Highlands School when it was the high school in White Plains. He said the students should thank the Board of Education for working so hard for the students in the district, and encouraged the students to come back and not forget the community, concluding, "Never forget the Orange and Black." The Mayor makes his remarks as Daniel Henderson, and Corrina Colon just behind the Mayor prepare to cut the ribbon opening the new field. Diana Hyland, Principal is in the orange jacket. Suprintendent Connors is at the right.

Panarama of the stands with Dignatries.

Daniel Henderson, left, and Corrina Colon Cut the Ribbon Officially Opening the Field for the Pep Rally

View from the Stands as the teams from the White Plains Middle School are introduced. New Parker Stadium will be home to Boys Soccer, Field Hockey, Girls Soccer, 7th and 8th Grade football and Cross Country.

2007 Pep Band featured Alex Harelick, Andrew Hall, Wiliam Tunney, Shaina Brady, Jens Sannerud, Richrad Demarte, Mike Rooney, Evan Ruben, Richard Crescenza, Mike DiBenedetto, Travis Petre, Leo Contreras, Jimmy Sorrow, Meghan Barry and Matt Silver.

The White Plains Team, left to right: The Tiger Mascot (Caroline Blaney) Superintendent of Schools Timothy Connors, Donna Mclaughlin, Pres. Board of Ed,  Sheryl Brady, William Pollak, Peter Bassano, Rosemarie Eller, Board of Ed; Tom Roach, Councilman; Michele Schoenfeld, Clerk to the Board(orange jacket), (unidentified), Charles Norris (BOE), Dan Woodard (Brown overcoat), Debra Clay, City Department of Parks and Recreation, Arne Abramowitz, Commissioner, Parks and Recreation; Nick Panero White Plains Schools Athletic Director; Joseph Cloherty, Principal, Eastview Middle School; (Unidentified), and Ivan Toper, Principal, White Plains High School.

The project began  construction July 9. Landtek  replaced the old concrete grandstand of the 75 year old Parker Stadium with metal bleachers seating 1,300, though the population of Highlands just squeezed in from our observations. The firm used 75,000 feet of "Field Turf" to replace the real grass turf.

The project costing approximately $3 Million, is being paid for out of the $66.5 Million bond issue approved by the citizens of White Plains in October of 2006. The high school Loucks Field renovation, at a cost of $5.5 Million, is scheduled to be completed in the spring of 2007 before the start of the Loucks Games.  No one could give WPCNR an exact cost of the Parker Stadium project today.

WPCNR reports the field is very cushiony when run on in today's damp weather. Football players WPCNR talked with after they practiced on the field last Saturday said the field has a "ring" to it when they hit the turf, but they like the fast starts and cuts they can get on the homogenous surface. They say it makes them faster runners.