Athletic field overhaul approved

The Northview and Southview Marching Band spell out "Sylvania" during halftime on their field in Sylvania, Ohio.

THE BLADE/ZACK CONKLE
Buy This Image

The Northview and Southview Marching Band spell out "Sylvania" during halftime on their field in Sylvania, Ohio.

The Sylvania City School Board on Thursday unanimously approved a long term plan for the $11 million overhaul of both athletic fields at Northview and Southview high schools.

Superintendent Brad Rieger told board members during the meeting that he and the parent-run athletic foundation are dedicated to securing private funding for the improvements, which include construction of a football field at Southview High School, providing an all-weather track, and soccer, and softball fields at Northview, and upgrading the seating, concession stands, and outdoor field-entrance gates at both schools.

RELATED CONTENT: view full proposal

Mr. Rieger would not comment on specific prospective donors, but said that they are cultivating relationships with local and out-of-state supporters of the project.

The overall plan, which has been in the works for several years and is divided into four phases according to importance, has an indefinite timeline since it is dependent on private funding, he said. The approved master plan, designed by SSOE, a Toledo architecture and engineering firm, aims to bring all athletic sports to each school's campus.

Currently Southview football games are held at Northview. Northview’s softball plays its home games at Veterans Memorial Field on Erie Street, and plays soccer and has its home track meets at Timberstone Junior High School.

The first phase, totaling $2,557,814, has partial funding in place for two of the three projects.

Northview Practice Field and baseball scoreboard costing $235,058, is the first item expected to be completed in 2014 since it will be funded from proceeds of the land sale on King Road in 2012. In December the district purchased two homes at 5363 Silica Dr. for $201,000 and 5365 Silica Dr. for $269,000 to provide room for the expanded facilities. The two homes are scheduled to be demolished in July and August.

The board also approved funding a portion of the Southview football field construction, the second item on the list for phase one, with $600,000 in proceeds from the recent sale of property on Mitchaw Road. However, about $740,000 will still be need to cover the total amount of $1,341,423. At this point no start or completion date has been set.

The third project within phase one - constructing a locker room at Northivew for visiting players - has no funding. The estimated cost is 981,332. Currently, visiting players have to change in the high school's locker room and walk across the parking lot to the stadium.

Board member John Crandall said he was in support of the upgrades but still feared the proceeds would have to come from the district.

“I hope I’m wrong,” he said. Mr. Rieger assured him that he is committed to raising the funds privately.

Mr. Rieger said if funds were given for a specific project, the administration would be open to changing the project roadmap.

Mr. Crandall and board member Jim Nusbaum agreed that the projects are necessary and prioritized according to importance, with a concentration on phase one.

The second phase of the project, at a cost of $984,746, includes building a softball field and additional parking at Northview, and construction of new softball and baseball bleachers at Southview.

The third phase, at a cost of $5,674,154, would include artificial turf at the football fields at Northivew and Southview, new track and bleachers for the football field at Northview, and entrance gates at both high schools. Other upgrades include concession stands and restrooms.

The fourth phase, at a cost of $280,907, would be the Southview restroom and concession stands. Also proposed is an expansion to Northview for a weight room, at a cost $1,520,190.

The cost of the design plans for the project were $5,800. A cost analysis of the project, done by Miller Diversified of Maumee, was $5,000.

Contact Natalie Trusso Cafarello at: 419-206-0356 or ntrusso@theblade.com.