By Gillian Graham
Staff Writer

The lights will soon shine brightly as student athletes take to the field at Hill Stadium.
Thornton Academy last week announced plans for a $1.2 million “major renovation” to Dr. Paul S. Hill Stadium track and tennis courts. School officials say the project is needed to improve the facilities and accommodate the growing number of students involved in athletics.
Headmaster Carl Stasio said the project includes the installation of artificial turf and lights in the stadium, track repairs and the complete rebuilding of four tennis courts adjacent to Linnell Gymnasium.
“This is certainly a wonderful day at Thornton Academy,” Stasio said, adding he is excited about the opportunity for growth.
Stasio said the school has grown from 50 students in 1811 to 1,470 students this year, making it the largest school in Maine. He said 30 percent of high school students and 40 percent of Thornton Academy Middle School students participate in athletics.
Stasio said the Saco community also frequently uses the stadium and other fields. The Saco Junior Trojans youth football program practices and plays at Hill Stadium, while area residents use the tennis courts and tracks extensively, he said.
“The track is really part of a larger community park for all the people who live here,” Stasio said.
Stasio said switching the stadium to artificial turf will extend the seasons for outdoor sports programs and intramural activities. Lighting will also extend the hours the facility can be used and increase the flexibility of scheduling events.
Though the addition of lights will make night games possible, Stasio said Thornton’s tradition of playing football on Saturday afternoons will continue. He said he expects field hockey and soccer games to be occasionally played in the evenings so more parents can attend.
Director of Athletics Gary Stevens said the school will see cost savings from the artificial turf. He said money will be saved on maintenance because the field will not be fertilized, mowed or striped. The field will also be more resistant to damage from weather and use, he said.
“We feel going to an artificial turf surface will give us a high-performing, quality field,” he said.
The project is funded by donations to the Thornton Fund, the school’s annual giving campaign. A total of more than $523,000 has been raised and fundraising efforts will continue, said Board of Trustees President Eric Purvis.
Donations for the project include a $200,000 bequest from the estate of Charles and Mary Virginia (Yates) Allard, which was made through the 1811 Society. The society allows alumni to leave money to the school in their wills.
Mary Virginia Allard was a 1932 Thornton graduate who died in 2006; her husband died in 2009. The Allards, who were married for 59 years, previously made yearly donations to Thornton Fund. Virginia Allard has “a pleasant word and smile for everyone through her four years at Thornton,” according to her yearbook.
Other project donations include nearly $165,000 from the Board of Trustees; $100,000 from Saco and Biddeford Savings Institution; and more than $58,000 from the Thornton Fund. Purvis said most of the fund’s annual donations from the next two fiscal years will be devoted to the project.
Purvis said the school is off to a good start and hopes to generate excitement in the community.
“We think there is so much excitement for the project people will get on board,” he said.
Stasio said school officials will bring project plans to the Saco Planning Board within the next few months. The project will likely be complete in time for the 2011 football season, he said.

Staff Writer Gillian Graham can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 213.