Eldred Bond Project FAQ
1). How long will renovations to the sports facilities take?
As of October 2022 and using conservative construction projections, the construction time period will be from late October 2024 through the summer of 2025.
2). During the extensive renovations to the sports facilities, where will student athletes practice and play games?
Our current plan is to host home games during September 2024, before construction starts, and then shift to away games the second half of the season so construction can begin toward the end of October. This will result in only the spring season having no home games and minimizing the impact on our sports program. All outdoor athletics games will be away games during construction.
3). If students will need to be bused to different facilities to practice and play games, what is the projected cost of the extra travel expenses? Do we have bus drivers and buses to meet this new demand?
We plan on utilizing our practice fields at Eldred Junior Senior High School and George Ross Mackenzie Elementary School, as we have done in the past. We also will be reaching out to the Towns of Lumberland and Highland to see if our student athletes can utilize community fields during construction. We plan to keep practices in district. Already existing bus runs will service participating students; there will be no additional cost to the district regarding buses or drivers.
4). Have voters been made aware that students will have to travel to offsite practice/game sites? Are parents aware that they may not get to watch their child play a home game until the project is complete?
We are still finalizing logistics and details and will communicate our plans once determined. There will be constant communication with students, parents and our community regarding practice sites and games.
5). George Ross Mackenzie Elementary School is not big enough to host multiple teams for games and practice. Has leasing properties for practice sites been considered?
We will be reaching out to the Towns of Lumberland and Highland, along with community organizations, to finalize other potential locations for practices during construction.
6). The current conditions of the athletic fields seem to stem from a lack of pride, scheduled maintenance and upkeep. Will a new sports facility ensure that someone will remove the trash after a Friday night game?
The Eldred Central School District has consistently cared for and maintained our facilities. However, heavy use over their many years of use has rendered them in a condition where replacement is necessary for the safety and enjoyment of our athletes. After the new fields and facilities are in place, school district building and grounds personnel will continue to care for them, including ensuring cleanliness after athletic events.
7). The school partners with the community AYSO league, a feeder program for Eldred soccer teams. Having no facilities for the community feeder system will make it nearly impossible to continue the program. Have you considered the effects of NO youth soccer programs on the future of Eldred soccer?
Our school district values the importance of athletics and fitness in our students’ lives. We will work with the AYSO league and any other youth league program to ensure that sports’ youth leagues will continue in Eldred.
8). The school could not adequately uniform my son to play modified football. He is wearing off-colored uniform practice pants to games. Why is a turf field necessary when you cannot uniform existing teams?
Uniforms and helmets were ordered last spring, but unfortunately, due to supply-chain issues beyond our school district’s control, we have yet to receive all of our uniforms and/or equipment. In our Section IX athletic region, schools were 900 helmets short due to supply-chain issues. In addition, we now have almost double the number of students participating in football this year. We went from 24 participating students to 43.
9). Eldred cannot field basic teams at all levels. Why is a sports facility of this caliber necessary?
Interest and participation in sports continues to grow. We have 104 students participating in a sport this season; that’s 45% of Eldred Junior Senior High School’s population. Varsity Football has 17 players; Modified Football has 26. Last year we had 26 students playing varsity and modified football. This year, we have 43 students. Sixteen boys and 17 girls are playing varsity soccer this year. Thirteen girls are playing modified soccer. We also have cheerleading for the first time in five years; 10 girls are participating. Overall, we have a significant number of sports teams for a school of our size. Hopefully, with the growth of our peewee football team, Little League Baseball and the AYSO soccer league, our sports teams will continue to grow, enabling our schools to field teams at all levels. We are small but mighty.
10). How will you ensure the timely completion of the project?
Savin Engineers will be our school district’s on-site construction manager. Its payment is tied to its guarantee that all deadlines and timeliness will be met. Our school district’s leadership team will be in constant communication with the construction manager to ensure that our deadlines are met satisfactorily.
11). How are you going to keep students separated from the construction project?
Once construction starts, the area will be fenced off. Students and staff members will not be allowed on the construction site. Construction workers will not be allowed in the school. The on-site construction manager will partner with our school district to ensure students and adults are safe. The construction trailer will be located in the upper parking lot to ensure the safety and security of the construction site.