News of the Portage Township Schools board’s plans to replace the deteriorating track and turf drew a major sigh of relief from the high school’s head track coach Tuesday.
More Top Picks Fertilizer
“It’s bad,” Nicholas Haas said of the track’s condition now. “It hasn’t basically been resurfaced since the late 1990s or early 2000s. I’m excited for the kids. They’ve been looking forward to a new (track) for years.”
There are spots where the track is becoming safety issue for runners, Haas said.
In a special meeting Monday night, the board approved the $1,209,425 bid from Keifer USA, an Illinois-based company, to replace the entire track and perform significant turf work. Work should begin June 1, the day after the high school graduation ceremony, and it should be completed before the first football game in August, said schools superintendent Richard Weigel.
The board also voted to let out bids for a set of construction projects at Willowcreek Middle School and the high school. The Willowcreek work will include replacing the exterior north wall and a skylight in “Jungle Hall,” while the high school projects will include upgrading a boys locker room and paving work in front of the west portion of the school.
A pre-bid meeting will be held May 10 at the Auxiliary Services building, 3300 Airport Road, with bids due June 1.
Michael Gonzalez is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.