SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) - Today, city and school leaders broke ground at Springfield Southeast High School's (SSHS) track and field facility. 

The improvements mean soccer, track and field, and football teams will all have a state-of-the-art facility to practice and play on, potentially as soon as this fall. 

Springfield Superintendent Jennifer Gill says this will be a widespread change, with other proposed additions for 2025. 

"You're gonna see a lot of improvements to the entire ground, including a brand new, irrigated, natural turf field, brand new track; brand new building and entrance as you come in, and all the amenities that you see at Memorial Stadium for referees and coaches and the like as well as good storage for their equipment," said Gill. 

The renovation of SSHS is one of many projects being funded by the 1% county sales tax increase, decided by voters in 2018. The district is hoping the funding benefits the community, as much as it benefits the students. 

"There's a lot of research out there amongst realtors that the drive that people  do around the town when they're thinking of moving here is the most important thing," said Gill. " Do they see fresh and modern facilities for their students to attend school and have opportunities to grow and have exciting things in their life through through our community?"

Renovations at Lanphier High School are nearly complete. The groundbreaking for changes to Springfield High School will happen tomorrow. Springfield Mayor Misty Buscher says hopes the improvements to many District 186 schools will bring new families, or former students, back to the city. 

"They're coming back to raise their families now and they get to see all this new infrastructure in our schools," said Buscher. "It's just wonderful to drop your student off at a school that has a bright, cheery look outside versus being old and not taking care of." 

For updates on the improvements, and plans of what facilities will be changing, click here. 

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