LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- JCPS is pressing pause on a multimillion-dollar project it originally described as "long overdue."

JCPS is delaying construction on phase three of its athletics facilities upgrades at Atherton, Butler, Eastern, Southern, Valley, and Fairdale.

Around this time last year JCPS celebrated the completion of a brand new turf field at the Academy @ Shawnee.

Retired Fairdale baseball coach Sean Cook is disappointed by the delay. 

"The first thing people do when they move into a community is 'how are the schools?' Well we want to be proud of our school -- we are proud of our school -- but we're being left behind." 

Cook has spent a lot of time on Fairdale's athletic fields, coaching as well as maintaining the property. 

"We take care of them," Cook said. "We build them up us best we can."

However, the difference between Shawnee's brand new turf field and Fairdale's patchy grass field is noticeable. 

"Our football field had 27 soccer games on it last year," he said. 

So while Cook and others continue to wait, he said they'll "do what we can with what we have." 

In 2023, JCPS announced 21 high schools would receive new turf fields, tracks, bleachers and press boxes, Fairdale included.

Construction at the first 11 schools is either in progress or completed, and now, two years later Phase 3 is on hold. 

"It's an issue of haves and have nots," Cook said. The school board turns its nose on the south end." 

JCPS said increasing construction costs mean the district would have needed to dip into next year's general fund to stay on schedule, but decided not to do that. Instead, the district now plans to complete the remaining upgrades in 2027.

"We are prioritizing capital construction funding for previously approved new schools, repairs, and upgrades of school buildings, with projects like replacing outdated HVAC systems and repairing roofs," a JCPS spokesperson told WDRB.

Committing to still renovate Fairdale and remaining schools athletic fields is a promise Cook hopes JCPS can keep. "We just want a level playing field."

More Local News:

13 men from Kentucky, southern Indiana arrested in FBI-led child sex abuse crackdown

Teen accused in Seymour library shooting planned school shooting on Hitler's death date

Overdose deaths drop in Kentucky for 3rd straight year; state leaders credit prevention efforts

Louisville man charged in downtown shooting at Brown Hotel parking garage

Copyright 2025 WDRB Media. All rights reserved.