The nicest nest in the district: School stadium to get makeover

Private donations are paying for all the renovations.
By JEANNE STARMACK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
CANFIELD -- The stadium field at Canfield High School will get a $740,000 face-lift starting soon after school lets out, and it won't cost taxpayers a dime.
The grass will be replaced by artificial turf, and a new bandshell will be built. There is even a chance new visitors' bleachers could be installed by Sept. 22 if Cardinal Nest Builders, the nonprofit group that formed to seek money for the renovations, can raise $250,000 more, said Mike Fagert, the group's vice president of operations.
The plan is called Renovate the Roost, and Cardinal Nest Builders plans to raise $2 million overall for improvements. Other phases of the project include increasing the stadium seating from 3,000 to 5,000 seats, expanding a weight room/wrestling room and locker rooms, and making renovations at the baseball and softball fields.
Renovations
Contractors hope to start Monday, Fagert said, with the installation of the turf, a refined type of slit-film artificial grass that looks like the real thing. A company called ProGrass from Pittsburgh will supply it for around $400,000, he said. It will be paid for with donated money, and contractors, architects and engineers will donate about $200,000 worth of services to install it, he added.
Unlike real grass, the new turf will allow more events in more types of weather at the stadium, Fagert said.
The $140,000 bandshell is being installed by E & amp;D Specialty Stands of North Collins, N.Y. The Miladore family of Canfield was a major contributor to that project and has naming rights, Fagert said. The Canfield Rotary Club also donated toward it.
The bandshell likely won't be finished by the first home football game Aug. 24, Fagert said. He said it should be ready in October when the Cardinals play Howland, Struthers and Poland. "We expect a full house for those games," he said.
But the football field is expected to be ready Aug. 21. Lee Hively from Hively Construction is the contractor overseeing that project.
Donations
Acme Co., whose president is Dan Zarlenga of Canfield, will bring in heavy equipment to take the soil out.
Other Canfield residents donating company time and equipment include Wes Prout of Prout Boiler in Youngstown, drainage material; Ron, Gary and Mark Carrocce of R & amp;J Trucking in Boardman, stone; and Rick Vernal of R.T. Vernal in North Lima, spreading and laser grading.
ProGrass will then sign off on their work and lay the turf, Fagert said.
Fagert said other companies that donated services include MS Consultants of Youngstown, which did all the design and engineering work. Dave Mosure is its president.
Dan Terreri of Terreri Construction in North Jackson is donating concrete work.
Architect Dave Kiraly will donate services for the locker room and weight/wrestling room projects. Dino Costello will supervise the construction in that phase.
Farmers National Bank of Canfield is financing the entire project, Fagert said, based on signed pledge agreements.
The group hopes to complete the project by September 2007.
Fagert said people, companies or organizations interested in pledging can do so at several levels. A $50,000 pledge earns naming rights. There are 10 levels, from $200 up to $50,000, he said. All donations more than $2,500 can be pledged over five years.
Those interested in donating to the project can contact Fagert at (330) 788-7011 or Mark Graham at Farmers National Bank at (330) 702-8425.