Trinity gets $2.6 million estimate for athletic improvements
A representative from an artificial turf company presented cost estimates and information for turf replacement at Hiller Stadium and renovation of the adjacent softball and multi-use field at Thursday’s school board meeting.
Patrick Zeni, regional sales manager for FieldTurf, told directors the cost to replace turf at the stadium will be about $811,661. It would cost the district about $1.8 million to make improvements at the softball/multi-use field, which can be used for band and other sports, including replacing the grass field with an artificial turf field and installing LED lighting to reduce electric costs.
Superintendent Michael Lucas said the fields will require less maintenance and there will be fewer game cancellations due to weather. Improved fields also will permit the school district to rent the facilities and host sports playoff games for additional revenue.
The projects, if approved by the school board, will be funded with part of the $5 million in Qualified Zone Academy Bonds the district obtained through the state Department of Education to upgrade facilities.
Ernie Graham, director of athletic facility planning at ELA Sport, which would serve as architect and consultant on the project, estimated turf replacement on the football field would take approximately a month, and work at the softball/multi-purpose field would take about five months.
The life expectancy of the fields is about 10 to 12 years, Zeni said.
The school district will host a presentation at 7 p.m. Jan. 19 in the high school auditorium to discuss possible QZAB projects.
The board also approved VEBH Architects to proceed with architectural services to prepare design documents for two projects, alteration to the middle school restrooms and installation of new, more secure vestibules at the main entrance lobby of Trinity Middle School and Trinity West and North elementary schools. The vestibules will include a contained visitor waiting area and require visitors to check in at the office before they are permitted to enter the school.
Estimated cost for the restroom renovations is $515,246, while the project budget estimate for the vestibules is $226,774.
Also Thursday, the school board held a moment of silence for middle school teacher Jennifer Carioli and elementary school student Kobe Long, who both died in December.