Football Stadium to be Repaired by Next Home Game

After receiving a report from structural engineers, the school district intends on repairing the football stadium bleachers in time for the next home game on Saturday, Oct. 8.

“We are aware of the public’s safety and concerned about the liability of the school district. Safety is always number one,” Superintendent Richard Starodub said.

A board of approximately 6 feet was broken when a spectator stepped down onto the seat at the . The stadium is made up of the original bleachers, constructed in 1981 with a steel frame and wood seating and floorboards.

“ and it appeared to be in good condition,” Starodub said. “The cause is somewhat unexplainable.” 

According to preliminary calculations, the wood was overstressed but not at a level where failure would be expected, John Harrison of Harrison-Hammett said in the report.

“However, it was noticed that, even though the boards appear to be in good condition, they are most likely toward the end of their life span and may have some excessive drying that could be affecting their bending strength,” Harrison said.

The school district will mobilize their repair and maintenance staff to begin fixing areas of the stadium, Starodub said. Repairs will consist of basic carpentry. Staff will glue and screw 8 inch wide by 4 foot long, three-quarter-inch thick, pressure treated plywood under the boards of seats.

Starodub referred to the maintenance as an “emergency repair” that will extend the life of the stadium three to five years. Once the repairs are made, a professional inspector will come in.

The stadium undergoes routine inspections by the maintenance staff, Starodub said. Prior to the 2011 graduation in June, the staff made repairs with fasteners.

“We’re going to have to develop a long-range plan for the replacement of the wood,” he said.

For a copy of the report, see the attached PDF.