Because of the resodding of Lillie King Park, all MacArthur students can no longer use the bowl for the mile or P.E. units. The entire bowl has been fenced off since the school year started, and the project originally began in June. This is being done by adding new soil and grass on top of the bowl.

Principal Mr. Ray Gonzales said, “They filled in the bowl; it’s no longer a bowl, more like a plate.”

In previous years, the weekly mile for P.E. classes would be held in Lillie King Park, running around the bowl. With the fencing that has been put up, this is no longer an option.  This year, students are required to do the mile by running five laps around the playground in the park. Additionally, some units that were being held in the bowl, such as field hockey, are displaced.

The laps around the playground are a shorter distance than laps around the bowl, but the mile is still a mile. Eighth-grader Melanie V. said, “I really like the change because the mile feels faster now.”

When the bowl is available, MacArthur pays a fee to the city for access, charged by the hours of use. For now, the bowl is gated up.

Eighth-grader Madison R. said, “I really don’t care about the bowl. I really only care about how we do the mile now.”

Gonzales predicts the bowl in Lillie King Park to open in the second semester as the grass takes root.