1st aerial view of new Middletown sports field

It takes a bird’s eye view to really appreciate the full transformation of the new Middletown High School and Middle School.

City school officials Tuesday released aerial photographs shot by a drone high above the still-changing campus that has seen its track & field stadium moved, its high school expanded, and a new sports arena and a new middle school opened.

The $96 million construction project is the largest and most expensive in Middletown Schools’ history.

The new photos reveal for the first time the artificial turf field that will be used for football practices, girls and boys sports as well as community youth and adult sports.

“We’re excited to offer our students and community another state-of-the-art facility that not only will serve our seven to 12th-grade students, but will also be available for community-wide events such as the Middie Olympics,” said Elizabeth Beadle, spokeswoman for the Butler County city school system.

The new Middletown Middle School opened in September as did the adjacent, now renovated and expanded high school.

The Wade E. Miller Arena opened in December 2017 and was immediately heralded as the premier sports venue in the city and one of the best in the region.

And last week the city schools opened their first, on-campus medical center in the high school.

MORE: Middletown Schools open first, on-campus medical center

Beadle said the new plastic turf field was laid out during the past two weeks.

“We plan on having everything completed in time for the spring track and field season. The new field will be used primarily for the Middletown Middle School and Middletown High School track and field teams, but our physical education classes will also utilize the field in warmer weather,” she said.

Middletown Schools will continue to play high school football and other high school sports on the artificial turf field at the district’s Barnitz Stadium.

“While we don’t have a lacrosse field, the field is striped for lacrosse so other teams (club, community teams) can use it. The field can also be used for soccer and football practice as well as marching band practice. This May, we will host the Middie Olympics – previously known as the Middletown Special Olympics — on May 17,” said Beadle.

The new sports facility will also be open for residents to walk on the track and “we will also rent the track and field out to groups,” she said.

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