By Rich Palzewic
Staff Writer
BROWN COUNTY – Despite the COVID-19 pandemic closing schools, businesses and slowing donations, several area school districts are proceeding with planned projects.
Bay Port, De Pere and West De Pere high schools are ahead of schedule with planned projects, while Preble has seen slower progress with its synthetic turf donation process.
Bay Port
As part of a $2.8 million project, Bay Port will see nearly 7,500 square feet for a new weight room and wrestling area and remodel another 3,500 square feet.
The project will be completed without borrowing because of the help of donations.
The high school is also refurbishing its baseball and softball fields with synthetic turf.
“We are ahead of schedule on both projects,” said Al Behnke, director of facilities. “The weather has been cooperative, and we were able to get started earlier than expected because students weren’t in school. The end of August is the targeted completion date, but it depends on the availability of materials.”
Behnke said the district was recently notified by the mechanical contractor that it’s having difficulty getting some of the machines for the weight room.
“Up until this point, we haven’t had any problems with the slowdown,” Behnke said of the COVID-19 pandemic. “We were told we might not get the mechanical machines until September – that’s a big part of the weight room.”
Behnke also said five of the elementary schools in the district are doing planned innovation studio renovations.
De Pere
Work is underway on the $3.06-million upgrade to the De Pere Redbird Stadium.
Work includes a new home-side grandstand with seating for 2,000, improved press box, visitors’ side seating for 500, areas for track and field events and LED lighting.
The old bleachers, which were built in 1982, seated about 1,200 and have been torn down.
The new grandstand is being built from scratch.
“Our school has grown,” said Jeff Byczek, De Pere athletic director. “We have about 600 more kids in the school now than we did back in the early 1980s.”
A standing-room-only deck will provide about 130 square feet of standing area for small groups.
Storage below both home and visitor section bleachers can be used to store track and field equipment.
The planned project is projected to be completed by the middle of August.
“It feels like we are busier now than before,” said Byczek. “Savings by the school district over the past few years and budgeted money have moved the project forward. We also had some donations, too.”
Byczek said if all goes well, the project would be done in time for De Pere’s home football opener against Wausau West Aug. 20.
“We are getting weekly construction updates,” he said. “They’ve indicated all is going well, and things are on time. If the football season starts on time and things aren’t affected (by COVID), it would be a great way to open the season.”
Byczek said when it became clear spring sports would be cancelled, construction began two weeks early.
West De Pere
In November 2018, residents narrowly approved to allow the district to spend $9.9 million to build a new multipurpose indoor facility for sports, classes and events at West De Pere and fund stadium improvements.
The old home side bleachers had space for 1,150 fans, while the new configuration will more than double that accommodation at 2,400.
Bathrooms will be located under the bleachers.
“Things are going well with the bleachers,” said Scott Eggart, high school director of student activities. “The frames are all in, and the planks and seats are being added. On (June 17), the press box was delivered from Texas in one piece. It got lifted on top of the bleachers. We saw a 60-foot box on a crane lifted into the air – it was unbelievable.”
Eggart said a target date of July 20 is anticipated for the bleachers and track to be completed.
“A few weeks after the asphalt is laid on the track, the rubber will be added, and we’ll be ready to go,” he said. “We also got approved for a new scoreboard.”
Eggart said because Mother Nature has cooperated and students haven’t been at the facility, the planned project is about three weeks ahead of schedule.
“We’ve had no issues with construction,” he said. “Knock on wood, but we are rocking and rolling, and everything is here. You worry most about steel and metal, but we are looking good.”
Preble
At a football game last fall, Preble kicked off its Preble Pride Stadium Project.
The school announced plans to install a new track and the conversion of its athletic field to synthetic turf.
The total cost of Phase I is projected at $1.2 million, while Phase II is projected at $1.5 million.
Phase II will include the creation of a second entrance plaza, decorative fencing at new entrances and the creation of a player/coach entrance.
A new concession stand, bathrooms, ticket booth and storage building are also being planned.
An LED scoreboard and additional stadium seating are in the Phase II plans.
“This is all self-funded through donations,” said Dan Retzki, associate principal/director of athletics and activities. “Since COVID hit and so many people and businesses were affected, donations have slowed a bit.”
Retzki said the dream of installing turf dates back many years.
“This would be an outstanding goal to advance one of Green Bay’s public schools,” he said. “A lot of it is making the community aware, and it’s based on the support we can get. I know we can get a lot of in-kind donations, but we need to get over the hump so a couple of grants kick in.”
Retzki said one of the grants would be from the Green Bay Packers.
“We need to have so much raised for the Packers to match it,” he said. “Then once you get the grant money, you have to use it within a year. We are teetering on how to get to 1.2 (million dollars) and make it happen.”
As of June 16, $233,828 has been raised for Phase I.
Additionally, a synthetic turf field would meet the WIAA requirements for hosting tournament games, which Preble hasn’t been able to do for more than 10 years.