Struthers board OKs stadium renovations

By WILLIAM K. ALCORN

VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER

STRUTHERS — By the time next football season rolls around, there will be new bleachers on both sides of Struthers High School’s Wildcat Stadium.

The board of education Tuesday approved plans for Phases 2 and 3 of the stadium renovation, which have been combined and include new bleachers on its west side.

Brian R. Spielvogel of Eckles Architecture and Engineering in Canfield, said Phases 2 and 3 will go out for bids in late January or early February.

In the board’s plan, adopted in April 2007, the costs of Phases 2 and 3 are an estimated $300,000 each.

Spielvogel, whose firm is in charge of the project, expects Phases 2 and 3 to be completed by mid-July.

Even if it has to be rebid, there is still time to complete the project before the 2008 football season begins, he said.

The concrete east stands, which were built in 1936 under the Works Progress Administration, later renamed the Work Projects Administration or WPA, were demolished and rebuilt earlier this year.

That was Phase 1 of the stadium renovation project, which was bid out for $285,603.

When the new west stands are complete, the stadium will have about 3,000 regular seats plus 14 to 18 spaces for wheelchairs, Spielvogel said.

District Treasurer Michael Evanson said the project will continue to be financed primarily with revenue generated by open-enrollment pupils.

The project is being done without additional cost to the taxpayers, said William Polis, head of the Save Our Stadium Committee, which provided much of the impetus for the stadium renovation.

Dan Thomas, a member of the Save Our Stadium Committee, thanked the board for giving the committee the latitude to develop ideas and for its support.

“When all is said and done, we’re going to be proud of what gets done,” Thomas said.

alcorn@vindy.com