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Field renovation in embryonic stages, four months before completion and the football season opener. Photos, George Laase.[img]1868|exact|||no_popup[/img]
In an onsite interview, Balfour-Beatty site supervisor Gary Nenadal, the man behind the machinery of the massive, summer-long renovation of Helms Field, said the construction team has enjoyed good co-operation from the School District, the sub-contractors and neighbors.
The Front Page: How has the project progressed so far?
Mr. Nenadal: It has gone well. We have noted where all the above-ground electric lines are, and the high school has cooperated by turning off all the water and power lines that ran through the field during the demolition and excavating.
The Front Page: One coach said he couldn’t water his infield for a week. Any comment?
Mr. Nenadal: We had to cap a water line. There was a dual-feed line that serviced both the baseball and football fields. We had to locate the football line, cap it and let it cure before we could turn his water back on. The school’s plumbers were helpful in locating the line so all the workers and students were safe.
The Front Page: How much water have you used to keep the dust down?
Mr. Nenadal: We have had two water trucks running four hours a day for the last two weeks. Each holds about a thousand gallons of water. They have to refill every other hour so we are probably using thousand gallons a hour.
The Front Page: Can you estimate the amount of soil excavated from the field?
Mr. Nenadal: About 2,000 cubic yards of dirt have been removed. We ran 20 trucks a day for four days, doing at least two or three rounds a day. Each truck can haul from 12 to 24 tons, depending on the size of the truck.
The Front Page: Are you proud of the project to this point?
Mr. Nenadal: We are happy to be associated with this project. We just received bids yesterday for the construction part of the project: The new field, the track, the buildings and the bleacher renovations. We are packaging those up and are getting them ready to take to the District for approval.
The Front Page: When should this construction start?
Mr. Nenadal: I anticipate they should be able to start in 10 days to two weeks. We need to make sure that all the materials brought to the site are inspected and meet the specifications for the project. We must make sure that the alternative vendors have the right pipe, electrical lines and that the concrete mixes will meet the Division of the State Architect (DSA) requirements.
The Front Page: Once the plans were approved by the DSA, I thought they were out of the picture.
Mr. Nenadal: Oh, no. The DSA inspector is here, onsite, everyday. The original plans were DSA approved. The newly revised plans are being submitted and should be approved. Basically, all details of the project remained the same.
The Front Page: Anything to add?
Mr. Nenadal: Personally, I just can't wait to turn the finished project back over to the District and see all the kids playing their games here.
Construction To-Do List:
- Removal of Existing Concession Building
- Demolition and Grading
- New Synthetic Turf Field
- New Field Equipment
- New ADA Access to Field
- Miscellaneous Landscaping Repairs Throughout
Mr. Laase may be contacted at GMLaase@aol.com
