04/28/2026
Reading this article, it sounds like Peninsula School District may be starting to leave room to back away from the mini jumbotron, which the district described as an “LED scoreboard as a scaled-down version of one you might see at a Mariners or Seahawks game — one that can show videos and game replays.” In the past, the district has funded scoreboards, readerboards, and signage through donations. However, that approach has not been mentioned here, and questions about donations for turfing the baseball infields, lighting, and other improvements remain unanswered.
Still, it raises an obvious question: why is such a fancy piece of equipment needed at a field that cannot support most varsity sports, while the district stadium has a scoreboard on its last legs and in near-constant need of repair?
The Peninsula School District is also looking to replace the high school baseball infields, not with synthetic turf, but with DuraEdge, a brand of engineered soil. The school board was briefed on this potential project at its April 7 meeting. As presented to the board, the cost “would be approximately $400k total (GHHS/PHS) plus approximately $400k for Title IX offset.”
But is dumping more soil — brand name or not — onto one field built on a wetland, and another with an improper slope over nearly impervious clay, really the best choice? And will it actually be enough for the varsity baseball teams to play games on their own fields?
Investments by the Peninsula School District in physical education and athletic facilities are badly needed, and we are grateful the school board is making them. However, the allocation of those resources and the decision-making process behind them are troubling. It is concerning that the district does not provide meaningful opportunities for community involvement in decision-making, fundraising, or transparency into how these decisions are made.
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Will Gig Harbor’s new turf field accommodate varsity football games?