Los Alamitos High School Opens New Athletic Complex [Photos]

Students, teachers and staff gathered Tuesday at Los Alamitos High School to dedicate the school's new athletic facilities.

The new facilities, which include an all-weather track, new synthetic turf sports field and new lighting, were part of a $4 million renovation that both coaches and students said was long overdue.

Opening ceremonies included a ribbon cutting as well as an inaugural run around the track involving hundreds of students. Immediately following the ceremonies, the Los Alamitos High School football team began its first practice on the new field.

The new football field, freshly painted with the Griffin logo, was named after longtime Los Alamitos coach John Barnes, who has coached at the high school for 33 years.

"I want you to know, I don't know where all the mud has gone," Barnes said of the former dirt track. "I personally thought I would never see this. 33 years – I have waited them out," he joked.

Barnes also encouraged the student body to not take the new facilities for granted.

"For all of you students, I want you to know, this is a beacon for you to be proud of throughout this community, throughout Orange County and Southern California," Barnes said. "We have the best facilities you could ever enjoy so make sure you enjoy it."

While the football field does have brand new lights, nearby residents have started to protest the fact that the school district installed them by exempting themselves from environmental review.

A handful of nearby residents protested at the track's ribbon cutting carrying signs reading "No No No Lights Please" and "Unfair to Residents." Protesters said that the lights will shine into their homes and also lower their property values.

The new athletic complex was funded in part by private funds raised by the Los Alamitos Track booster club as well as funds from the voter-supported Measure K.