Bidders Sought to Prepare River Hawks Fields
Project Manager Brian Hayes showed a series of slides to school directors last week with plans for a new baseball field, softball field and six tennis courts at the new Armstrong Junior-Senior High School campus in Manor Township (KP File Photo)
by Jonathan Weaver
While football athletes might not be playing on Armstrong Junior-Senior High turf this fall, baseball, softball and tennis athletes might.
Armstrong School District school directors last night agreed to seek bids for the fields after hearing from L.R. Kimball Project Manager Brian Hayes during their regular caucus session Thursday.
Superintendent Stan Chapp prefaced the conversation.
“We want to take a look at what else we can do with those bond monies,” Chapp said. “We don’t know if there’s quite enough to do a stadium, but there might be enough, once it’s all said and done, to look at the baseball, softball and tennis courts.”
Hayes reviewed previous low bid totals for the fields, a total of $1.1 million - including a total cost close to $344,000 for the six tennis courts, more than $330,000 for the baseball field and the softball field was the least-costly at about $326,500. Only general and electrical contractors would be needed for the work.
School Board President Joseph Close was pleased to hear about the plans through contingency funds. He said even more additions – such as lighting for the baseball or tennis courts – could come if money is available.
“I think it’s great that we have the money left from the project that we hadn’t even thought that we had,” Close said. “If we can get a portion of that done with the exception of the stadium, it’s going to benefit the kids. They’re going to be on-site, which was our goal. It’s best that way.”
Bid documentation will be completed by the middle of June, with bid awards tentatively scheduled for after the Fourth of July holiday.
The current plan for next year is for athletes to Ford City baseball fields.
Practice and soccer fields are already included in the $55 million school project.
As was discussed last week, school directors also approved the purchase of a total of six walkthrough metal detectors for district high schools: four for use at the new-Armstrong Junior-Senior High and two for at West Shamokin Junior-Senior High.
Armstrong School District | jweaver May 12, 2015
