QV School Board Awards Middle School Field Contracts

 The School Board Tuesday night awarded more than $1.6 million in contracts for middle school field renovations that include installing artificial turf.

A $1.021 million general construction contract was awarded to R.A. Glancy and Sons for work that includes general site work, demolition and the replacement of the retaining wall along Route 65 and Graham Street. The field portion of the project, including artifical turf installation, was awarded to Palumbo Landscaping for $628,100.

The fields were part of the , but when an initial bid came in , administrators and board members scaled back on renovation plans and  the field project.

The $26.5 million middle school  began in late July, and in August the board borrowed $6 million more to cover excess construction costs, athletic field renovations and projected maintenance costs at other district buildings.

School officials say the building project is expected to be completed by the start of the 2012-13 school year, despite starting about eight weeks later than the anticipated timeline.

“We are pleased to move ahead with the field project as originally planned," Superintendent Joseph Clapper said in a released statement. "It is important to note, though, that we will continue to prioritize the completion of the building and classrooms in order to move students back to the renovated school as soon as we can.”

General construction includes replacing a 1901 sanitary sewer line that runs under the wall and part of the field, replacing the track with heavy duty asphalt, installing field event equipment, replacing the fence around the field, installing a flag plaza, a portable restroom enclosure and aluminum stands for spectators with guard rails and other safety features. 

The public will be permitted to continue using the middle school track during non-school hours, school officials said in a statement. School officials said the turf will give the  and community continued use of the field while reducing annual maintenance costs. 

For information and updates on the middle school project, visit the district's renovation blog.