Batavia school district to get cost estimate for turf field

The Batavia school district has renewed the idea of putting artificial turf in Bulldog Stadium at Batavia High School.

Tuesday night, the board hired Wight and Co., for $56,000, to design a new stadium field; stormwater drainage; a new track; moving the scoreboard; and moving the long jump, pole vault and high jump areas.

Board President Cathy Dremel said that the vote doesn't mean the board has approved installing artificial turf. But getting a price will help make the decision, she said. And board member Jon Gaspar said that if the projected cost comes in too high for his taste, he will not hesitate to vote against installing artificial turf.

Board member Christopher Lowe suggested coming up with a plan where an artificial turf field would not be installed until the community raised money for half the cost.

"What is the magic number we need to hit (in money raised) before we would be stupid not to do it?" Lowe asked.

Lisa Farley of the Batavia Bulldogs Booster Club said the group has already raised more than $100,000 for field improvements and expects to have $200,000 in that fund by the end of the school year. She also said that Batavia High and Rotolo Middle school athletic coaches have decided to forego their usual wish list items this school year so the boosters fund can devote more money to the artificial-turf plan.

Board member John Dremel, a retired Batavia High teacher, said that the present way the high school handles sports and marching band practices is unsustainable. To minimize wear on the field, the varsity football team practices on the baseball outfields; soccer teams practice on fields at H.C. Storm Elementary School; the marching band practices in a church parking lot; and lacrosse practices and plays at Rotolo Middle School. The stadium is reserved for games.

"How do we ask this to continue long term? Can we be completely honest here: Our football facilities completely blow chunks," Dryden said.

In an advisory referendum in November 2014, the district's residents said they did not want to borrow $15 million to do building and grounds improvements throughout the district, including installing a new track and artificial turf.

The artificial turf was proposed in 2012.

Lowe also asked if installing artificial turf would mean all the teams could move back on to campus for practice. The high school's athletic director said soccer practice would likely remain at H.C. Storm.

Resident Sylvia Keppel suggested that the board hold off on spending for the design, and conduct a referendum in March to see whether residents want artificial turf.