It looks like ground will be broken by summer in Oakmont’s Riverside Park.

A unanimous vote this week by Oakmont Council set in motion the next phase of adding lights to the Riverview Raiders’ home fields in the borough-owned park.

The borough collects rent from the school district, so it can use the park’s fields to host home football, soccer, baseball and softball games. The park is adjacent to Riverview Junior-Senior High School.

Council approved a contract Tuesday night of just under $108,000 with Merit Electrical Group Inc. for electrical construction work.

“(Merit Electrical) is based in Oakmont, which helps compliment the borough’s sustainability plan which is to buy local and shop local as much as possible,” borough Manager Scot Fodi said.

Council also approved a contract just under $470,000 with Qualite Sports Lighting LLC for the light installation.

According to Fodi, Qualite is well-known in the area, having worked with Franklin Regional, Gateway and Penn Trafford school districts on their sporting facilities.

Tony Lascola, chair of the borough’s recreation board, said council must submit a letter of intent to work with Qualite to get on the company’s schedule for installation this summer. He said the company works on a first-come, first-served basis, and getting on their schedule is crucial to having the lights installed by the time outdoor sports begin at Riverview.

“It’s critical that this gets done,” Lascola said.

Lascola said that although the funding and approval process for the project has been slow, time is of the essence.

“I’ve said ad nauseam that we have to get this installed,” he said. “We can’t let this slip. We have to fire on all cylinders.”

Council President Nancy Ride said with council’s approval, installation can begin once the field’s geotechnical investigation of the subsurface soil, rock and groundwater surrounding the field where the lights are proposed is complete.

Ride said the bid for light installation came in way under budget. Borough officials previously told TribLive quotes had ranged from $550,000 to just under $900,000.

As planned, the project consists of 10 light poles around the perimeter of the football and baseball fields.