A community recovering — and competing
Three months after the Spokane Complex Fires destroyed hundreds of buildings across the region, Lakeside High School is asking residents to rally around a very different kind of recovery project: a potential $1 million renovation of its football field.
The Nine Mile Falls School District high school, northwest of Spokane, was named one of four finalists in T-Mobile’s “Friday Night 5G Lights” competition. The winning school is scheduled to receive the field renovation. For Lakeside, the contest arrives as families and school employees continue to deal with the effects of a disaster that damaged the district’s community and exposed the limits of its existing facilities.
Students learned Oct. 29 that Lakeside had reached the final round. District staff marked the announcement with a surprise assembly in the school gym, where employees from throughout the district joined students to celebrate. The school had already secured about $255,000 in cash prizes and a weight-room renovation after winning the competition’s West Division.
“In the face of tragedy, we can have a reason to celebrate,” Principal Mike McCune told KIRO Newsradio.
Fire losses extend beyond the school grounds
The scale of the fire damage gives the football-field competition a larger context. The fires destroyed approximately 833 buildings, including many primary residences, according to the source material. The Nine Mile Falls School District was particularly affected by the Autumn Lane fire, which destroyed 165 homes and structures, according to the government’s Official Fire Information page.
About 90% of the district was placed under Level 3 evacuation orders during the fires. McCune said many students and staff members lost their homes. That disruption makes a school facility more than a backdrop for athletics: It is one of the few shared places where a community can gather, recognize what it has lost and maintain a sense of continuity.
- The Spokane Complex Fires destroyed about 833 buildings.
- The Autumn Lane fire destroyed 165 homes and structures in the Nine Mile Falls School District area.
- Roughly 90% of the district was under Level 3 evacuation orders.
- Lakeside is one of four finalists for the field award.
Old facilities, limited local funding
The proposed renovation also comes as the district faces a separate financial challenge. Voters did not approve the district’s capital levy during the April special election, leaving school leaders to confront declining facilities without that source of funding. The school’s current football setup includes portable bleachers that do not accommodate all students.
McCune said the limitations affect more than seating. The band must perform from the track, while cheerleaders cannot perform in front of the student section. Those conditions illustrate how the contest intersects with a broader public-infrastructure question: communities recovering from disaster still must maintain and improve schools, even when local funding measures fail.
| Item | Reported information |
|---|---|
| Finalist school | Lakeside High School |
| Potential award | $1 million football-field renovation |
| Previous prizes | About $255,000 and a weight-room makeover |
| Voting deadline | Nov. 8 |
A vote tied to long-term recovery
McCune described the possible field project as an opportunity to give students and residents facilities that reflect their abilities and provide something the community can take pride in. The school’s current competition is therefore tied to both immediate morale and longer-term questions about how the district will address aging athletic infrastructure after the fire emergency fades from daily headlines.
Public voting continues through Nov. 8 on the T-Mobile website. Whether Lakeside wins the final award, its advancement has already brought recognition and additional resources to a district where many families and employees were directly affected by the fires. The result will determine whether the school receives a new field, but the campaign has already offered a visible symbol of support for a community still rebuilding.
