Norwin officials have agreed to spend more than half a million dollars on artificial turf at two high school fields, a move opponents wanted to delay until the cost of swimming pool repairs is known.
The Norwin School Board on Monday awarded a $587,174 contract to Shaw Sports Turf to replace the artificial turf on the Knights Stadium athletic field, at a cost of about $486,000, and to install artificial turf on the infield of the girls softball field. The contract was awarded to the state-approved vendor on a 6-3 vote.
Directors William Essary, Tracy Czajkowski and Darlene Ciocca opposed awarding a contract when the district has yet to learn how much it will cost for repairs at the pool. It was reported a portion of the ceiling above the pool fell.
Czajkowski said she is aware of the need to replace the turf for safety reasons, but said the condition at the pool area also poses safety problems.
Ciocca said she did not see the harm in waiting until the district gets an inspection report from an architect on the condition of the swimming pool. The inspection is taking place this week.
A representative from Shaw Sports Turf said last week the stadium field would be available for use about 45 days after the project begins. The work will include installing a drainage system underneath the turf.
If the artificial turf were not replaced this year, Director Robert Perkins said the district would bear additional costs.
Brandon Rapp, athletic director, has told the board the turf is in such bad shape it’s not suitable for repairing. He said Norwin’s football squad and other teams that use the field would have to play all away games next school year if no action is taken.
Lacrosse, soccer and field hockey teams also use the field, as do physical education classes.
Rapp told the board the district could save about $20,000 because another local school district, Jeannette, is replacing its artificial turf. If Shaw Sports gets another local contract, Norwin could save about $41,000 on the cost of the project, Rapp said.
The board also awarded a $9,875 contract to ATT Sports Inc. of Berlin, N.J., to repaint the existing lines and events markings for the track at Knights Stadium.
The money for the projects will come from the district’s capital projects fund.
