GASTON COUNTY, N.C. — Three high schools in Gaston County are scrambling to come up with money to make expensive repairs to their football stadiums.
During the last month, inspectors have condemned parts of those stadiums after finding serious problems.
The latest inspection happened this week at East Gaston High School.
A letter went home with all the students Friday afternoon explaining that the stands at the football stadium are off limits because of safety concerns.
Athletic Director Ken Howell pointed out areas of the East Gaston home stands that will soon have to be replaced. The school district put up orange fencing at East Gaston, South Point High School in Belmont and Cherryville High School’s stadium.
“If they got to be fixed, they need to be fixed before kids’ parents get hurt," said Gary Kiser, a parent.
Pieces of concrete are missing in the foundation of the stadium at East Gaston. In Cherryville, there are several cracks in the stadium and large amounts of rust on the visitor side bleachers.
The school said the stadium is nearly 50 years old.
Rodney Smith played at the stadium in Cherryville when he was a teen, and said the stadium is a big part of the community.
"It's a football game, but it is a community gathering. When you go see a football game you're going to see everybody and anybody you went to school with," he said.
The school district does not have an exact figure on the cost of rebuilding the stadiums, but did say it will be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Howell said the stands may be off limits, but the field is still open for spring sports and they plan on using it.
"We may have to ask the parents to bring chairs and sit on the lawn, but it will be fine. It will be safe,” he said.
The district hopes to have the bleachers replaced in time for the football season. Right now, officials said they don't know where they are going to come up with the funding.