DELHI TOWNSHIP, Ohio — A dream years in the making is becoming a reality as construction crews began installing turf at Seton High School's new $16 million all-girls sports complex in Delhi Township this week.
Kathy Allen Ciarla, president of Seton High School, watched as crews rolled out the playing surface for the first time, marking a major milestone in the project that broke ground last year.
"I'm going to cry. It's a dream come true, and it's beautiful," Ciarla said, standing on the track with WCPO 9 News anchor Adrian Whitsett.
According to Ciarla, the sports complex addresses a gap in the region. She told us there isn't an all-girls school sports complex in the Tri-State.
"It's the year 2025. There's not an all-girls school's sports complex in the region," Ciarla said. "That's not right."
The facility will feature a track, turf field, locker rooms, a weight room and a building with four luxury viewing suites and a press box.
"We see the leadership skills, the bonds, the friendships, the memories from high school," Ciarla said about the impact she expects the facility to have on students. "80% of corporate executives played high school sports, and so it's just more than about the game."
Monarch Construction is handling the project, which Ciarla said has stayed on schedule despite an ambitious timeline. Crews plan to have the complex ready for fall sports teams when school begins in August.
WATCH: Ciarla walks us through the project and talks importance for students
The project began as part of the school's strategic plan in 2019, but Ciarla said finding the right property proved challenging.
She told us the school lost out on several potential sites, including properties on Rapid Run Road and near Indiana, before securing the current location.
"We lost out on some properties and I really thought this was not going to happen," Ciarla said. "Then six weeks later the phone call came in."
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The school's video production class has been documenting the construction progress with drone footage to keep the entire student body updated on the project's development.
Seton High School has raised more than $11 million of the $16 million needed for the project since fundraising efforts began just over a year ago.
Ciarla said Delhi Township has been supportive of the project and praised the partnership with local officials.
A select group of students has already seen the facility during one of the school's fundraising events, called "Night at the Site." Ciarla said the girls' reactions included crying and screaming with excitement.
The complex is expected to serve not just current students, but future generations of female athletes in the region.
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