Leah Jones from Altman + Barrett Architects presented an update on the primary school at a Board of Education work session last night. She discussed various steps in the process including when needed approval would be received in order for the project to move forward (IE: fire marshal.)
An estimated start time on the project is June 2020. Pre-K will be moved into “learning cottages” attached to the current primary school. Jones noted that JCI Contractors (construction management for the project) were known to provide tours (safely done) to children so they could see what was taking place during the process.
The contractors will be at the October 10 meeting for a presentation and discussion of costs. To allow board members adequate time to ask questions, the meeting time was moved to 6 pm.
Discussion then moved to the football stadium renovations and other projects. There had been talk of swapping the home and visitor bleachers at football games. Glare had been an issue for some football games as well as soccer matches. However, Jones said the transmission lines on the Dykes Street side have to have a minimum clearance of 20 feet for any new bleachers constructed.
There would also be height limitations on bleacher construction to maintain clearance for safety. In order to construct bleachers with the same number of seats on the Dykes Street side as are on the current home side, the field would have to be shifted. It would add $1.2 million to a project where $3 million had been allotted.
So, while there will be renovations made to Royal Stadium (IE: new concession stand, new restrooms, new visitor side bleachers), it was agreed to abandon the idea of moving sides because of cost. Plus, there was a consensus among board members that any glare from the sun was gone by halftime. Plus, as the season wears on, the sun goes down earlier.
Also, another construction project in the works is to rubberize the track at BCHS and install bleachers as well as fencing. It’s part of a plan to move home soccer matches to the high school and out of Royal Stadium.
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