Allegheny Valley School District considers 1st step to improve athletic field

The clock is ticking when it comes to planned improvements at Springdale High School’s soccer field, according to Allegheny Valley School District administrators.

They’re recommending the school board get started with geological and infiltration testing and a site survey for potential installation of artificial turf at the field.

“Time is of the essence,” said Hamsini Rajgopal, the district’s director of operations and finance. “If we hope for this to be completed for next season’s football games and soccer games and so on, and track, just be mindful of that constraint.”

The board on Tuesday will consider hiring a contractor for the testing, a site survey and permits related to the project.

Last month, the board approved solicitation relating to artificial turf at the soccer field, Rajgopal said. There was a breakdown of four items: geological testing; a site survey; artificial turf installation, including design services related to stormwater management, erosion and sediment control; and professional services for coordination of testing required for project design of a master plan for the site’s use as an athletic facility or stadium.

If the board decides to proceed with the design and obtaining a price for the turf, it first needs to complete the site survey and geological infiltration testing.

When the district reached out to vendors, they said it was difficult to project a cost without the geological infiltration testing, Rajgopal said.

For years, Springdale High School football has been played at Springdale Borough’s Veterans Memorial Field, but the district terminated its lease with the borough. The team this fall played its “home” games at Burrell and Freeport high schools.

District officials have said it’s a priority to them to get Dynamo football games back in Springdale.

“The quicker we move, the better the odds,” Superintendent Patrick Graczyk said. “There’s no guarantee it will or won’t be ready.”

Borough and district officials identified a leaning wall near the bleachers as an issue at Veterans Memorial Field.

Borough council last month approved a $580,000 contract with Panza Landscaping for installation of a retaining wall and sidewalks at Veterans Memorial Field.

Regardless of what happens at the borough’s field, the district still needs to make improvements at its field, board President Nino Pollino said.

“No matter what direction we go, that’s going to be required for us, whether we do turf (or) grass,” Pollino said. “But again, the direction we said last meeting was to pursue the cost of the turf facility and the requirements there.”

Pollino said the district is prioritizing the soccer field project because of the need to fix it.

“Our focus is primarily to be able to play our games no matter which direction we do, next year here in town,” Pollino said.

“And that’s the priority for the administration, is to make sure this happens for next school year so that we’re not traveling.”