West Valley High School
Stadium Improvements for West Valley High School
Yakima, Washington
The Landscape Architecture team at Bernardo Wills helped West Valley School District transform an aging high school stadium into a safer, more versatile athletic facility designed to serve a broader range of student athletes.
Our work with the District began in 2020 with an assessment of the existing track, field, and stadium and the development of three improvement concepts and associated budgeting to help guide long-term decision-making. The study identified several opportunities, including replacement of the track base nearing the end of its useful life, improved drainage and maintenance, relocation of track and field events, and creation of a regulation soccer field within the track oval.
Building on that early planning, Bernardo Wills provided landscape architecture and athletic facility design for reconstruction of the track and field complex. The completed design features a synthetic turf field striped for both football and soccer over a 20mm shock pad to improve player impact safety, along with a new eight-lane synthetic running track. The improvements also addressed Title IX considerations by relocating field events and creating space for a regulation soccer field within the stadium, expanding the facility’s flexibility and opportunities for student athletes.
The result is a more flexible, durable, and efficient athletic facility. One that expands opportunities for West Valley athletes while addressing the maintenance, performance, accessibility, and safety challenges identified through the District’s original planning process.
