During the next year, students will need to take a trip across the street to see what the improved stadium has to offer.

In mid-December, the Hennepin Youth Sports Program decided Park will be one of 13 capital grant recipients this year. The school will receive $121,000 to improve stadium conditions and has a year and a half to complete the project, according to Athletic Director Andy Ewald.

The program began in 2009 and is part of the Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission, which provides funding for youth sporting purposes in cities across the county. The organization has given $14 million in grants for construction, renovation or expansion of youth sporting facilities.

The School Board met Feb. 9 to discuss options on what the money will be spent on. School Board chair Julie Sweitzer said spending must be prioritized.

“We received less than the full amount we applied for, so the administration has been looking at what parts of the proposed project should go forward,” Sweitzer said.

The Board decided students and members of the community who use the stadium will benefit most from improved concessions, new bathrooms to replace the current port-a-potty situation and a new sound system, according to Sweitzer.

The improvements that will be added next year, along with the addition of the turf field in 2012, are ways the school is trying to increase use of the sports complex.

“The stadium is used frequently now, which was exactly our intent, and the improvements will make it more functional,” Sweitzer said.

Freshman Peyton Morrison said he believes the grant will provide people with a more comfortable way to view sporting events, which may increase attendance.

“The improvements will hopefully make the people who come to games more comfortable,” Morrison said. “As an athlete, I hope these new improvements will bring more people to events.”

For more information on the program, visit the Hennepin County website.