In 2022, Lakeland Regional HS will officially be the LAST standing HS stadium grass field in Bergen and Passaic Counties. This leaves our Lakeland community members at a significant disadvantage as we attempt to regrow our programs following a pandemic that shut us down for more than a year…

For many, a turf field stadium DOES make a difference when looking at the collective resource package being provided to incoming students. Consequently, it makes sense why more and more student athletes and their families are leaving the Lakeland Regional High School District based on the lack of athletic resources being provided to students and community members in comparison to private or other local regional high schools. This is a growing issue that can be solved by providing the same value as other schools. 

Fiscally, our lack of a turf field stadium leaves our community at a disadvantage. We are not be able to host heavily publicized and attended events like tournaments, county championships, or other community-wide engagements that would otherwise help support our small businesses and foster relationships within the larger community as a whole.
 
As local taxpayers, many of us contribute over $18,000 a year to this community. 53% of that tax payment (over $9000/year) is dedicated towards our school taxes, which includes renovations and upkeep of our local schools. Yet, regardless of such a high annual contribution - our voices feel unheard and our interests seem under represented. We are bothered by that. And mathematically, with so many more within the community just like us? We find it hard to believe that we aren’t able to fully fund a turf field at Lakeland. 


We all understand the social, fiscal and societal benefits of Lakeland owning a turf field. We’ve sat through meeting after meeting, poured over data sheets and spoke with all the specialists. We believe the true majority of our community was mis-represented during the 2018 referendum vote. It’s time to put the past behind us and move forward in a post pandemic world by providing our community with the advantages we know it deserves.

It’s time for all of us to do what’s right and finally establish a competitive presence and support our evolving landscape by adding the turf field to the upcoming renovation projects taking place this year.

This petition was created to let the BOE of know that we are a new generation of community members who expect nothing less than the best resources be made available to all of our students & that our focus is on making the addition of a turf field a part of the upcoming 2022-23 renovation budget for Lakeland Regional High School. Please sign, then share.