THUNDER BAY - Summer construction of the city’s two new high school football fields is slightly behind schedule.
The $4.5 million project that will provide St. Patrick High School and St. Ignatius High School with FIFA quality artificial turf, and rubberized 400-metre tracks to the schools, is expected to be completed just behind the original Sept. 1 expectation.
“We’re hopeful that by, or around, the Labour Day weekend we’re going to be completed at St. Patrick High School, and by Sept. 15 at St. Ignatius,” said Tom Mustapic, the catholic board’s capital plan supervisor.
At a press conference in March, Director of Education Pino Tassone said the general contractors promised to have the fields completed no later than Sept. 1, although this promise was weather permitting.
Despite this, Mustapic said the last stages of construction shouldn’t really interfere with the football season.
St. Patrick football players should only expect one week without access, and St. Ignatius players will likely be moved to Current River Park.
“It’s not really a delay.” Mustapic said. “These are big projects, and you don’t see many of them in Thunder Bay so we’re glad we’re getting them done on time.”
Each venue will hold about 300 people, and is expected to have a life cycle of 30 years.
Mustapic says the fields are reason for the schools and the community to be excited.
“We think it’s a great opportunity to have better and longer use,” Mustapic said. “We found that we’d come into spring after melt, and the field really wouldn’t be usable until late May.”
“It’s going to make for perfect conditions for our students from when the snow melts until the end of November.”
There is currently no plan to schedule games at either field, and students can expect games to continue to be held at Fort William Stadium for the upcoming season.
“We’ve had a preliminary schedule with the Superior Secondary School Athletic Association about possibly doing that, but for now the intent is to keep them at Fort William.”
