More athletic field upgrades approved
By Jeff Gallatin
Bay Village
Published Jan. 3, 2007

School officials continue to take steps to upgrade the athletic field at Bay High School.

Superintendent Clint Keener said the school board’s awarding of a $10,400 contract in December to J.A.R. Engineering and Surveying for a boundary and topographic survey of the Bay High field would help the district in more than one way. The move came shortly after the school board approved a $24,750 contract with the Cleveland area firm Lee Behnke and Associates to provide professional design services for the district athletic field at the high school.

“We want to make sure all the boundaries are set properly around the field area,” Keener said. “There have been some questions at times with some of the neighbors around the area. So, the survey should give us clear information and guidelines as to where everything is pertaining to the field boundaries. That will make it easier for us and other people when dealing with the field.”

Keener said with probable changes coming to the school’s athletic field facilities, the topography work will also give crucial information to the district.

“We either have to get some artificial turf down for the district on the athletic field or we have to get a separate soccer only facility for the district to use,” Keener said. “There’s no question we can’t keep going having some of the field issues we’ve had in recent years. The current field just can’t stay in its current condition with the amount of use our fields get from both the district and the community.”

Keener said information gained from the survey will help determine drainage needs for the field area.

“That’s a pretty important topic because the field conditions haven’t been the best at times for a number of athletic events,” Keener said. “We can’t continue to have a field like that.”

Information from the survey will also play a major role in whatever decision school district officials make about the athletic field.

“If we decided to stay with the current athletic field then it would help tell us what needs to be done in terms of drainage work or other work which we would need to do,” Keener said. “Or, it could tell us what else needs to be done to make the area better for artificial turf if that’s what we decide to do. The survey information would play a part in how the field is designed, so we’re glad to get it underway.”

Like the design firm, J.A.R. Engineering is also a Northern Ohio business, which Keener sees as an advantage.

“They have a strong track record which you can easily see by checking out their work around the area,” Keener said. “It makes you feel better knowing they will do quality work because this is an important issue to people.”

Keener said they would like to get the work as soon as possible, but noted that the district will be making decisions about the athletic field in a professional manner.

“We’re gathering the different information and we’re talking to different groups in the community about the best ways to get this done,” Keener said. “We want to make sure everything is available and that we have the most current information to make the best possible decision.”

Mayor Debbie Sutherland said the school district is approaching the field problem in a good manner.

“We’re supportive of  their work to try and get the problems resolved,” Sutherland said. “They’re looking at the problems in a sound way and trying to find the best solutions, which is good because different parts of the community use the field and they are aware of that at the district.”