(Atlantic) The completion of the Trojan Bowl renovation project is “touch and go” before the home opener on September 18. The recent rains, however much needed, caused a delay in a project that was already facing a difficult timeline.
Bob Sweeney, district project liaison told the Atlantic School Board on Wednesday night the construction schedule is tight, and the turf installation crews have been working long hours in an effort to get the field ready for play.
Sweeney says the field turf crews began work on September 1. He says they had 14-days until the cutoff, and they have never installed a football field in 10 or 11 days, that has not been done. Then the rains came, and the wet conditions kept them off the field on Tuesday and again on Wednesday.
Sweeney pointed out there is also a lot of work yet to be done on the west entrance to the facility.
Sweeney feels September 18 is too high of a goal. He wants to get this project done right. He says when he left the project on Sunday, he was confident the project would be completed in time. However, the forecast of rain has dampened progress.
The concession and restroom facility is nearly completed, 98-percent of the bleacher work is done, the goal post bases are installed and the inside fence will be completed by the 18th. The asphalt and concrete work, and retaining wall still needs to be completed, sound system needs to be installed, as well as the PCC pavement for the main entrance, and entranced gates, and the final grading and seeding outside of the field areas.
Atlantic Schools Superintendent Steve Barber says he wants to wait until Friday before mapping out a plan B, in the event the field won’t be ready for play.
