If you’re in the vicinity of O’Neill High School starting next week, you’re going to see evidence of the school district’s $23.4 million capital project getting underway.
The first thing that will happen, Project Manager Joe Tola told the Board of Education last week, is that the tennis courts will be demolished. That’s set to begin on Monday, March 18.
Next up will be work on the track — as of April 1, the track team will not be able to use their home track for meets — Athletic Director Debbi Crowe said she has asked to use the USMA Prep School field for the handful of meets held locally, and that the team will be practicing using other West Point facilities.
All other fields will be okay to use this season, Tola said, before work begins in earnest as the project continues. Tola said he told the contractors doing the field work that he needs the football field ready for the high school’s homecoming in early October.
“We are going to have to be flexible, and really put ourselves in a ‘go with the flow’ mindset,” Board President Anne Lawless said.
Tola said its important for the contractors to get to work as soon as they can because of the potential of losing days to rain during the summer months. Last year, he noted, there were 34 days of rain during the typical construction window.
He continues to meet with the contractors, Tola added, setting schedules and ground rules, clearing up payment processes, and finalizing insurance, bonding and contracts.
