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Escambia County football fans will notice a different-looking Herbert Barnes Field come this fall as crews have been working to bring the stadium up to state code.

ECSS Deputy of Operations Shaun Goolsby said the stadium’s bleachers have been pressure washed and repainted on both the home and visitors’ side.

Goolsby added that the logo will be redone, and the steps will be painted blue. He said the back of the press box will have the school’s blue “EC” logo.

Goolsby said a contractor out of Flomaton took the handrails down, sand blasted them and repaired any metal that needed to be replaced.

“They’re making this safe,” he said.

Goolsby said the painting of the stadium will help with its aesthetics.

“It just looks better,” he said. “This hasn’t been done in a long time.”

Goolsby said the painting is being paid for by capital funds; the welding and handrail work is being paid for by local funds.

In addition to the stadium, the school’s field house will be renovated.

Goolsby said the workout room is going to be bigger.

“We’re going to extend the weight room, and make the bathrooms bigger,” he said. “They’re so small. These are grown men, here.

“The whole building will be torn out except the frame,” he added. “The interior walls will be torn out, and then we’ll come in and the bathrooms and showers will be torn out.”

Goolsby said with this renovation, everything will be brought up to code.

He said the head football coach (Vincent Harris) will have his own office, and another office will be for assistant coaches.

“There will be a film room, and some closet space,” Goolsby said. “This space wasn’t utilized for its full potential.”

Inside of the bid for the renovation, new workout equipment will be installed, Goolsby said.

Goolsby said the next phase of the high school’s capital plan is finishing paving the parking lot.

“They did half of it last year, and will do the parking lot side over the summer,” he said.

Goolsby added that the visitors’ side of the football field will also be getting a concession stand and bathrooms.