Fans of the Gettysburg Warriors may see upgrades to their school stadium next year. At their meeting on Monday, the Gettysburg Area School District Board of Directors approved a contract with Turf Track and Court to provide design, permitting, bidding, and construction renovations.
The board and district Finance and Facilities Committee have discussed the project for several months. The contract with Turf Track and Court will not exceed $153,000 per the board vote. The decision was unanimous, and board member Michelle Smyers was absent.
Project Details
The project will include renovations to the stadium’s visitor side bleachers. Board members have expressed safety concerns about the current bleachers, which were constructed in 1976. The district also plans to construct locker rooms for home and visitor teams. Sports teams currently use the middle school gym class locker rooms. The district believes the bathrooms are too small for the teams to use and do not adequately separate home and visiting teams when entering and exiting the field.
“The middle school really isn’t set up for team rooms or locker rooms,” board member Michael Dickerson said. “There have been a lot of instances where soccer players and lacrosse players have had to change in their cars.”
Josh Reynolds, director of facilities, said Turf Track and Court plans to have the project ready for bids in early 2025. If all goes as planned, construction will occur in the summer of 2025. Reynolds said the district aims to not disrupt regularly scheduled events. Dickerson said the project will be funded through the district’s capital projects improvement plan and will not require additional taxes.
Other business
Discussion of Warrior Stadium renovations dominated the 10-minute meeting, but the board also breezed through routine approvals.
Board member Cynthia Ayers cast the sole vote opposing numerous human resources recommendations.
“I cannot, in good consciousness, vote yes for HR items until we have a large public meeting on right-sizing or down-sizing,” she said about her response.
Board member Al Moyer abstained from the vote because it included a recommendation to hire his daughter as a musical director. Answering a question from Moyer, Superintendent Jason Perrin acknowledged that finding substitute teachers and bus drivers is challenging.
“It’s basically a struggle to find all positions at this point; that’s just where we are,” Perrin.
The board’s next meeting is scheduled for Sept. 16 in the district board room on Biglerville Road.
Alex J. Hayes has spent almost two decades in the Adams County news business. He is passionate about sharing stories focused on the people in our communities and following local governments in an age when few journalists report on their meetings. Alex is also a freelance writer for several other publications in South Central Pennsylvania. Alex encourages readers to contact him at ahayes83@gmail.com.