Published January 14, 2009 05:51 pm
MIKE TOBIAS
The Port Arthur News
PORT NECHES
If you build it, they will run.
But unlike the cornfield-lined baseball diamond in Iowa, Port Neches-Groves’ Reservation will have the spirit of past Indian athletes looking down with envy and pride as the school begins competition on a brand new track and field surface.
A project stemming from the May 2007, $123 million bond election, the new track’s asphalt sub-surface has not only already been laid, but has also undergone corrective measures.
“Initially, the sub-surface our contractor laid down wasn’t exactly level,” Scotty Lewis, spokesperson for LANWalton program management services.
“Which was unacceptable on our end, so what had to happen then was they had to grind down the sub-surface before we let them lay down the final top track surface. Which, grinding isn’t an unusual process in dealing with these types of tracks, but there was a lot of grinding that had to happen to get it right.”
LANWalton, along with members of the PN-GISD administration and the district’s contractor, H. B. Neild & Sons, Inc., held a progress meeting Wednesday morning to discuss the status of the various district projects, including the stadium’s track and press box facilities. All parties are expecting substantial completion at The Reservation by the end of the month.
“Substantial completion means everything is basically done,” Lewis said. “The space will then be ready for the district’s competitive use.”
The track’s top surface is slated to be installed Thursday, just in time for Indians track and field teams to begin preparing for their upcoming season.
“Just like the field, everyone here’s excited about the new track and stadium facilities,” head track coach Kyle Segura said.
“The track should be ready in a week, and we’re all looking forward to that after last year, when we ran on the street all the time for practice.”
Segura says along with the main track, the other field event sections, such as the long jump/triple jump and pole vault areas will be ready for use in two to three days.
“Before, the shot put area was way outside the stadium, across the street on our old practice field,” Segura said. “Now, the discus is still out there, but the shot is now inside the stadium, so we’re getting things more centrally located and there won’t be as much running back and forth.”
The Indians plan to host their first track meet at the new Reservation track on February 28, which also may mark the first time the press box will be able to be put to use.
“Hopefully it will be done by then,” Segura said. “It wasn’t quite ready for football, so hopefully six weeks from now will be the first time we’ll have the option to have it.”
mtobias@panews.com
