Construction Advances On Upgraded Athletic Facilities

Work gives high school more flexibility in athletic space

Construction continues on the indoor practice facility Thursday next to Harmon Stadium at Fayetteville High School. The district is renovating and building athletic facilities.
Construction continues on the indoor practice facility Thursday next to Harmon Stadium at Fayetteville High School. The district is renovating and building athletic facilities.

— New and remodeled athletic facilities at Fayetteville High School will provide flexibility and space needed for the addition of ninth grade.

The school needs more multiuse athletic facilities because of students participate in 15 sports, said Barry Gebhart, athletic director.

Space for practice, workouts and games will be at a premium when an estimated 600 freshmen move to the high school in 2015. The move means two football teams and boys and girls basketball teams will be vying for space with high school teams.

The district is spending about $7.4 million to renovate practice facilities and build new ones for athletes, cheerleaders and the band.

By The Numbers

Facility Costs

The Fayetteville School District is spending about $7.4 million renovating and building athletic facilities at the high school. The construction is being paid with second-lien bonds, a type of funding package, similar to refinancing a home loan. The projects are:

• Bulldog Athletic and Recreation Complex: $4.4 million

• Track: $1.4 million

• Tennis courts: $1.23 million

• Harmon Stadium turf: $682,000; $402,000 from the district and the balance from private fundraising.

Source: Fayetteville School District

The centerpiece of the athletic complex is a multiuse indoor practice facility, which is under construction. The 40,000-square-foot building will replace the old Boys & Girls Club gymnasium, which was torn down last summer. Several sports plus cheerleading will use the facility, said Vicki Thomas, superintendent.

The building is on target for a January completion, if the weather cooperates, said Phil Jones, project executive with Nabholz Construction Services, the construction manager.

The complex will be called the Bulldog Athletic and Recreation Center, or BARC.

The old Boys & Girls Club had deteriorated and some areas were uninhabitable, Thomas said.

The club complex reverted to the School District when the new Donald W. Reynolds Boys & Girls Club on Rupple Road opened in 2003.

One building had been converted to administrative offices and part of the gymnasium was a fitness center for district employees. Officials said renovating it was a better option than building new.

A new roof, locker rooms and coaches offices have been completed. Purple and white lockers are installed, replacing wooden lockers.

The baseball field will become multipurpose next summer when new turf is installed.

Thomas said the surface will provide a place for the band to practice. The band shares Harmon Stadium with the football teams.

A new track is being built at Ramay Junior High School and will serve the entire district.

Tennis courts were built at Asbell Park because the old ones were in the way of construction.

Gebhart said busing would be necessary to get athletes from the high school to the track or tennis courts.

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