Tallassee Graduation

Cliff Williams / TPI The finishing touches are be placed on the gravel underlayment for the artificial turf field at J.E. Hot O'Brien Field in Tallassee. School officials hope to have graduation on the field Friday night.

The Tallassee High School Class of 2025 will not graduate on the new artificial turg in J.E. Hot O’Brien Field, Instead they will get their diplomas in the football stadium at the Wetumpka Sports Complex as the new field is not ready

“I just finished a conversation with the Elmore County Commission and contractors,” Tallassee City Schools superintendent Dr. Brock Nolin said. “It won’t be ready in time.”

Contractors were putting the finishing touches on the gravel base for the new field. The new turf was in rolls in the parking lot.

Nolin had been planning back in March for a contingency for graduation when he secured the Wetumpka Sports Complex for Friday and rain date on Saturday.

“We plan for the worst and hope for the best,” Nolin said.

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The new field is part of the Phase 2 Quality of Life projects funded primarily by the Elmore County Commission. It saw new turf fields at Holtville and Elmore County High School where the Class of 2025 graduations were the first events on the new fields.

The Wetumpka Sports Complex is no stranger to Tallassee as the school’s soccer team had to play its home games there as construction proceeded at J.E. Hot O’Brien.

Tallassee’s graduation ceremony is planned for 8 p.m. Friday. If weather forces a change it will be rescheduled to 8 p.m. Saturday.

 

Cliff Williams is a staff writer for Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc. He may be reached via email at cliff.williams@alexcityoutlook.com.