DENHAM SPRINGS - An extensive marketing campaign, aimed at reaching the hearts of Livingston Parish voters, was successful in motivating the community to support the construction of a $13 million expansion of Denham Springs High's athletics facilities.

Livingston voters showed their support of the project in April, with 1,752 offering their approval and 565 confirming their opposition to it. 

According to The Advocate, the taxpayer-funded project will see to the construction of a new track around the high school's football field, a new baseball field, a new softball field, and a field house. 

Work on the extensive project kicks off this summer, with a focus on the softball and baseball fields. Officials are hoping to have these areas completed in time for the 2022 baseball and softball season.

Cecil Harris of the Livingston School Board confirmed that construction of the track and field house will begin in October and should finish by fall of 2022.

Harris described the school system's comprehensive approach to encouraging voters to support the construction plans, he told The Advocate, "We did podcasts, we did mailings, we did the things that most campaigns do. The big thing was having support on the ground floor and getting the message out."

Harris went on to say that this construction marks the first time in 65 years that Denham Springs High has seen an investment in sports facilities.

"It's something that's been needed for a long time," he told The Advocate. "We have no facilities. We've been using Department of Recreation (fields) for 30-some-odd years for baseball and softball. We have no track. It’s just needed for the overall morale and the spirit of our school and for the athletic program."

As the construction work moves forward, at least one more athletic facility may be added to the plan, depending on the cost of projects that are currently in the works. 

Harris touched on this as he told The Advocate that if funds allow, new tennis courts may also be built with the money.

Denham Springs High is a public school that currently serves close to 2,000 students. 

Click here for more information on the construction work.