If one were to visit the Mike Walsh Field a few days before the start of school, they might expect to see Lincoln’s athletic director, Jessica Russell, doing a yearly check of the integrity of the wooden boards that make up the steps.

On the first day of school, students were surprised to see the 67-year-old bleachers taped off with posted signs warning “No Access” due to multiple boards found suffering from dry rot, according to Vice Principal James McGee.

Due to the limited amount of time for repair before school started, the district office condemned the bleachers for the students and public safety. Lincoln’s first home football game was held at Wilson High School.

When asked if the bleachers are worth fixing now, despite Lincoln’s plan to be rebuilt, Russell stated that it isn’t time to “completely replace the bleachers, but I think it’s important to keep them safe for normal use.” For now, the visitor seating area is still taped off.

At the beginning of the 2007-08 school year, a similar situation arose when access to the  bleachers was limited due to the deterioration of the bleachers’ aluminum, steel, and wood. To accomodate, Lincoln played the season’s biggest football game against rival Grant High School at Providence Park.