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ELKINS -- Randolph County Schools announced late Friday afternoon that no public events -- including high school and middle school football games -- will be held at Elkins High School's Wimer Stadium this fall.
The bleachers at Wimer Stadium have been deemed "unsafe to be occupied by spectators" and the football schedules of the EHS Tigers and the Elkins Middle School Hornets must be adjusted accordingly, a press release from Randolph County Schools stated.
"Randolph County Schools recently received a county-wide bleacher inspection," the release states. "Additionally, a structural engineer was secured to further assess the findings. It was determined that the bleachers at Wimer Stadium are unsafe to be occupied by spectators.
"It is with regret that we must inform the Elkins community that there will be no public events held at Wimer Stadium.
"The administration and athletic directors at Elkins High School and Elkins Middle School are working collaboratively to devise a plan to address the 2020 football season. As scheduling information and location of games are completed, we will release this information to the public," the release states.
The EHS Tigers have 10 football games scheduled for this fall, including six home games, and were scheduled to host Robert C. Byrd at Wimer Stadium on Sept. 4 in the season opener. There has been as yet no information released on if or when that game will be re-scheduled, or on where it will be played.
The EMS Hornets have six football games scheduled this fall, including hosting Barbour County in the season opener at Wimer Stadium on Sept. 9. There has been no information released on how the EMS schedule may change.
The COVID-19 pandemic had already pushed the start of high school football season in West Virginia back one week, with practices beginning two weeks later than normal this year.
Wimer Field was dedicated on Sept. 4, 1936. The field was built on land that was once part of the old Elkins Fairgrounds, and was named in honor of Frank Wimer, the longtime EHS coach.