The Clay Center Tiger community has an opportunity to support the creation of what will become a signature piece for the new Mark A. Chapman Activity Complex, the multi-purpose stadium project currently under construction at Clay Center Community High School.

A fundraising campaign is being announced to use limestone from the arches at Otto Unruh Stadium to build a grand entrance to the new activities complex in an effort to retain some of the tradition and legacy of the former football stadium while helping create a new chapter in the history for Clay Center Tigers.

The idea of blending “yesterday and today” has generated support among people associated with and nostalgic about the legacy of Otto Unruh Stadium.

Paul Lane, who can count an almost unbroken stretch of 65 years of family connection to Otto Unruh Stadium, through either coaching or participating in activities, voiced his support for the new stadium effort when he learned of the integration of “the old with the new.” 

“We will be able to walk through the stone arches that represent the history we love, and will take us into the future of Clay Center football and track,” he said. “I support this effort to retain the memories we hold dear, while providing new memories for future generations.”

Campaign has goal of $200,000

What is destined to become an iconic piece of a new Tiger tradition will only happen with the generous support of the public. With financial backing from supporters of the Clay Center Tiger athletes and students, this newly designed entrance would be a landmark in the community and offer a first impression like no other in the region.

Garret Craig, a 2018 CCCHS graduate who is returning to the community to teach vo-ag, thinks the new stadium project is another example of a community willing to invest in itself and will set Clay Center apart from similar communities.

“The new activities complex will be a testament to a community focused on providing the best for its citizens, present and future,” said Craig. “I firmly believe new families considering moving to Clay Center will look at what has been done and be encouraged to move their families to our town.” 

Craig said he has many great memories from the old stadium and thinks creating a stone arch entrance, featuring stone from Otto Unruh Stadium’s arches, would be an incredible tribute to Coach Unruh, a renowned figure in the history of Tiger athletics.

“It will serve as a reminder of the history of the football program, memories of the community, and what it means to have been a part of Tiger Football at any time in the past,” said Craig.

Local expertise will be used to construct arches

Local stone mason, Bill Ham, has agreed to construct the entrance with stone taken directly from the arches at Otto Unruh Stadium. He has spent many years of his career working to preserve the historic limestone houses and buildings at Fort Riley. He would use his experience to create a one-of-a-kind entrance at the new complex, using the most iconic parts of Otto Unruh Stadium – the limestone arches that were originally laid by workers involved in the former WPA project.

To make the effort possible, coordinators need to raise $200,000 by July 1. This would give time to the Ham crew to complete the structure before the start of the 2023-24 school year.

The new complex already addresses many of the needs expressed by faculty, programs and organizations that will use the space. The size of the concession stand was enlarged in response to the organizations who would use the space, and a few other elements could also be addressed with increased funding, including fencing around the track and 6’ wide sidewalks from the entrance to the middle school parking area. This would help give students better access to the new complex during the school day.

A unique aspect of the construction process is that CCCHS students have been directly involved in building the concession stand, allowing for a direct connection to the new complex.

Weston Hammond, a sophomore at CCCHS and three-sport athlete, is a student in the class responsible for building the concession stand. He said he is excited about the turf being laid for the football field, but also about how close the stadium will be to the school. But using his own hands to help with the construction of the complex makes the excitement even more direct and special.

“Helping with the concession stand is a very cool process to be part of,” said Hammond. “From building the walls in the shop, to putting up the tin on the roof, it’s really a humbling experience. Knowing that the building I helped with will be around for years for my family and other Tiger athletes to use, is cool to think about.”

Opportunities to support the arch project

Naming rights for donors are still available in the form of sponsorships of bleacher seating ($2,000) and concession tables ($5,000), and slots in the Tiger Legacy Club, all of which would also be featured on the Tiger Legacy Wall at the complex.

The current design of the complex is adequate for the expressed uses of the area, but the proposed additions would create a more-effective, destination-level experience for student-athletes, fans, alumni and visitors, all without being paid for through taxes, which is a unique aspect of Clay Center’s project.

Please consider supporting this campaign and helping create a new chapter in Clay Center’s history at the Mark A. Chapman Activity Complex.

For more information or to donate, go to usd379.org/tigerlegacy or call the district office at 785-632-3176. 

How to donate

For Tiger supporters wanting to support the press box upgrade or the improved grand entrance, donations can be sent to the USD 379 district office at PO Box 97, Clay Center, KS 67432 or online through the Tiger Legacy account at CCCIF. (https://www.claycentercif.org/make-a-donation.cfm?fid=2137#top-of-form)