Let there be artificial turf: Burrell School Board decides unanimously on stadium project

The Burrell School Board has voted unanimously to renovate Buccaneers Stadium with artificial turf — reversing its initial decision last year to install natural grass.

Burrell School Board awarded a $1.8 million contract Tuesday to W.G. Land Co. LLC, of Acme, to renovate the high school field and track, according to Tricia Shank, school board president.

Work is expected to start this spring and finish before Aug. 28, she said.

The administration and the project’s architects, HHSDR Architects/Engineers of Sharon, presented the recommendation to the board for artificial turf last week.

Last August, the board voted to install natural grass. That was based on preliminary estimates and the initial cost, which showed artificial turf to cost substantially more, around $800,000 more, to install initially. The change of heart came from a combination of factors including a longer financial snapshot of the cost of both alternatives, Shank said.

“We got a better financial picture looking at the 10-year projection cost rather than the initial cost,” Shank said. Then the district waited for the final numbers in the project’s bids to make their decision.

In the end, the cost when considering maintenance was less for the artificial turf rather than natural grass.

At the same time, the district received a windfall from refinancing a bond providing the extra fund to invest in the initial cost of the artificial turf.

Plus parents, students the community lobbied the school board to go with artificial turf, Shank said.

“We had been hoping since last fall that we could bring artificial turf to the athletic field and to replace the worn-out track,” Shank said.

“Putting out heads together with administration and the community, we are happy to bring it to fruition this summer,” she said.