POMONA, Calif. – After years of sharing a sports arena with Pomona Unified’s three other high schools, Ganesha High School finally has a stadium to call its own.

The Pomona Unified School District Board of Education unanimously approved a resolution on Aug. 13 that changed the field’s designation as the “District Stadium” to the official home field of Ganesha High School. The field, dedicated to former board member Nancy J. McCracken, will retain its name.

“It is such an honor that we are finally able to provide Ganesha High School with a sense of ownership by granting them their very own stadium,” said Board of Education President Frank Guzman. “The refurbished stadiums at all of our high schools have generated a lot of excitement because these sporting events are a great way for our students to come together and demonstrate school pride.”

In 2000, the stadium located adjacent to Ganesha High was built with the idea that all District high schools would share the facility for their sporting events, including football, soccer and track and field. Although each high school had its own fields, they had no stadiums or lights.

However, last spring the District installed new stadiums at Pomona, Diamond Ranch and Garey high schools in time for the start of the 2013 football season. Renovations – paid for with funds from the 2008 voter-approved Measure PS – provided $16 million in improvements that included those amenities, along with all-weather tracks, synthetic fields, bleachers, ticket kiosks and concession stands.

For Ganesha High, this meant that they finally had a true home stadium.

“Now that our sister schools have established stadiums at each of their sites, Ganesha High School looks forward to seeing our scoreboard reflect the name of our school and our Giant pride,” said Principal Jennifer Francev. “For the field to belong to us means a lot to the student body.”

Ganesh High will host its first home varsity football game against Mark Keppel High School at 7 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 29. A junior varsity game is scheduled for 3:15 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 28.

A proposal is currently being developed that would add the same upgrades to Ganesha’s stadium.

“Right now, we’re in the early phases of having conversations with our students, parents and staff to evaluate what they’d like to see in terms of refurbishing their stadium,” said PUSD Superintendent Richard Martinez. “This is truly monumental for Ganesha High and for the entire community.”