Boardman school officials break ground for new bandshell

By BRUCE WALTON

bwalton@vindy.com

BOARDMAN

Booster club members, school administrators, parents and the marching band celebrated between light showers Thursday the groundbreaking for the new “Home of the Spartans” bandshell at Spartan Stadium.

Bill Bonte, booster club president, welcomed everyone and thanked William and Karen Veri, who volunteered to fund construction of the shell.

“There have been so many generous people that have helped us, that sometimes you can’t believe that people are as generous as they are,” Bonte said.

The Veris learned about the need for a bandshell through their friendship with Tom Ruggieri, Boardman’s band director, and decided to fund the construction, estimated at $150,000.

“It’ll be one thing to cross off the list and something that the kids will enjoy for generations,” William Veri said.

Bonte said the shell will include a roof with three sides as well as state-of-the-art sound and lighting systems.

The shell will protect the band’s uniforms, instruments and musicians from the elements during home games. It also will allow the band to have a location to organize themselves in the stadium.

The shell will be added to the stadium, which was built in September 2015 to replace the old stadium on Market Street behind Center Middle School. The project was divided into three phases, which started six years ago. The first phase included building the turf for the stadium for $1 million. The second included the construction of the home and visitor stands, press box and scoreboard, costing $2.5 million.

The shell is the first part of the third phase, which will cost $1.2 million altogether and also include a wall of honor, ticket booths, a third building for restrooms, concessions and locker rooms and a number of changes to improve the parking lot near the stadium.