On a sunny late-September morning, a group of Chartiers Valley High School students ventured outside for phys ed class.
Some participated in a softball game on their stadium’s field. Others walked the track along its perimeter.
They were among the first to enjoy the results of the first phase of renovations to the school’s athletic complex, to be followed that same evening by a long-anticipated event:
“We are definitely excited to have Colts football back at Chartiers Valley High School,” Ryan Snodgrass, district director of facilities, said.
After playing their first two schedule home games elsewhere, the Colts returned to their own stadium for a Sept. 29 contest. And although the score went decidedly in opponent West Allegheny’s favor, CV fans welcomed the opportunity to cheer in familiar surroundings.
During the summer, the facility underwent numerous improvements, a new scoreboard, sound system lighting and restroom flooring included.
“We have some new pillars and an ornamental fence up to really dress up the front of our building and clearly define the entrances and exits,” Snodgrass said.
The field now boasts a new surface from Shaw Sports Turf, an industry leader that did installations at the homes of the Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Indianapolis Colts, Arizona Diamondbacks, Miami Marlins, Texas Rangers and others.
“They incorporate a sand-and-rubber base to these, to allow for a certain softness level,” Snodgrass explained, and a pad situated underneath “allows for a little bit of extra peace of mind, knowing that our students have, as best as we can get it, safety on the field.”
And drainage is better, according to the facilities director.
“This field will take inches and inches of water and be playable within 20 minutes or a half hour after the rain event is over,” he said. “On a natural surface, even the very best: You get 3 inches of rain, you’re not playing.”
Stadium users and guests should be able to see better, thanks to an all-LED system that is “much brighter and a fraction of the cost to run,” Snodgrass said. “The maintenance is a little bit easier, and also the activation. It’s actually controlled from an app on your phone. Instead of putting on giant rubber gloves and flipping breakers, we’re able to control it now from a touch screen.”
The facility’s track still requires surfacing, to be applied after the fall sports season, in plenty of time for spring activities.
“We really squeezed all the life we could out of the last one,” Snodgrass explained, “to the point where repair versus replace and longevity: I definitely think the board made the right decision to replace and give us another 30 years out of this one.”
In August, the school board voted 6-3 to approve a $158,500 change order as an added cost to the work on the track, three days after rejecting the amount requested by the general contractor, Hampton-based TPK Inc. At issue was the need to repair the base of the track, which was damaged by heavy construction equipment.
Opposing the approval, which took place during a brief special meeting on Aug. 25, were Darren Mariano, board president, along with Jeff Choura and Herb Ohliger. They objected to the added burden on taxpayers.
Board members in general expressed concerned about the timing of resolving the matter and having the stadium ready for use as soon as possible after the start of the school year.
According to district administration, the district as of the start of October had paid: turf and track (including paving, entrances, track, field and ticket booths), $1.6 million; electrical engineer, $276,120; lights, $240,878; architect, $198,717; scoreboard, $193,000; and construction manager, $132,647.
In addition to completing surfacing on the track, the second phase of the stadium project includes installation of new press box, home bleacher seating, risers, fencing, stairs, ramps and concrete paving under and in front of home bleachers. Work is scheduled to start in November.
For more information about construction in the district, visit hs.cvsd.net/about-cvhs/new-page.
Harry Funk is a Tribune-Review news editor. You can contact Harry at hfunk@triblive.com.