Renovations to the Leechburg Area School District's athletic fields and school complex are expected to be underway by June 11.
Work on the athletic fields actually is expected to begin sooner.
Renovations to Veterans Memorial Stadium are projected to start April 23, and those at the West Leechburg fields are to begin June 4, architects Richard Jaynes and Craig Collins of Axis Architecture PC told the school board Wednesday.
A $7.5 million bond issue the school board approved in November is financing the projects.
Some residents have criticized the work, saying Leechburg Area, with about 750 students, should look to merge with neighboring districts to save costs.
School officials counter that the work is needed, and that it would only cost more if done later.
The school board could authorize advertising for contract bids on athletic facilities work Feb. 28, and could award contracts April 11, according to a schedule Jaynes presented.
Veterans Memorial Stadium, where Leechburg Area plays its football games, is to get an underground irrigation system for its field and locker room renovations including a new heating and ventilation system, but there will be no air conditioning in the stadium.
Jaynes said the training room will be expanded to separate the home and visiting coaching staffs into their own rooms.
The stadium press box will be expanded, too.
New board member Darius Lovelace asked if there will be locker room accommodations for girls who play football. A couple female students did so last year, and had to use the women's restroom in the stadium.
“We have to make some kind of accommodation if we have girls going out for football,” Lovelace said.
Jaynes said the training room plans could be revised to provide a separate space for girls to dress.
A walking track is planned around the perimeter of the stadium complex, Jaynes said. The track will be asphalt, instead of a rubberized, competition-type surface.
As for the West Leechburg fields, Jaynes said improvements will include a 400-meter track surrounding a grassy area that could be used for a soccer field.
There also will be renovations to adjoining softball and baseball fields.
Meanwhile, renovations at the high school/middle school, elementary school and administration building along Siberian Avenue are to start June 11.
The work includes reconfiguring the elementary school office, adding a controlled access point.
Jaynes said conference rooms will be near the entrance, so that people can meet with school personnel without going through the building.
Replacement of roofs on the buildings likely will be done in sections, and all rooms in the schools will be painted, Jaynes said.
The heating and air conditioning system, electrical system, wood shop, science and home economics labs will be renovated.
The architects plan to ask the board to authorize advertising for bids April 25; contracts could be awarded May 30 at a special meeting.
Construction on all facets of renovations that affect school operations would be completed by Aug. 20, in preparation for the start of school.
Renovations not tied to school operations would be finished in September.
Veterans Memorial Stadium construction would be substantially completed by Aug. 8, and the West Leechburg fields by Sept. 14.
“It's an aggressive schedule,” Jaynes said.
Leechburg Area Business Manager Brad Walker said the district has received the $7.5 million proceeds from the bond issue. Walker said the interest rate is currently 1.25 percent.
If the Federal Reserve raises interest rates, however, Walker said the district will get a corresponding bump in its interest yield.
Tom Yerace is a freelance writer.
