Village gives thumbs up to GHS athletic facilities work

Plans to improve Grafton High School’s outdoor athletic facilities are moving forward after the Village Plan Commission on Tuesday approved a site plan for the project.

The first phase of a four-stage, $4.39 million project will begin in spring and be completed by September. The upgrades include new fencing around the football stadium and improvements to the entryway, ticket booth and plaza.

School officials said the first-phase projects will cost $560,964.

Most of the cost for the first phase will be paid through a $425,000 donation from Acuity Insurance’s charitable foundation, which includes naming rights for the school’s old gymnasium and new signage. 

Director of Business Services Topher Adams told the School Board on Monday that the district will begin seeking bids for the first phase and the project will be completed in time for the 2020 fall sports season.

The remaining phases will be completed based on the availability of funds.

Supt. Jeff Nelson said the first phase is a priority for additional fundraising. 

The district is seeking sponsorships because improvements to the athletic facilities were not covered in the $39.9 million school facilities referendum project approved by voters two years ago.

The second phase of the project calls for improvements to the football field and its surrounding track at a cost of $1.6 million. Those will include adding synthetic turf, stadium lighting and rearranging stations for track and field events.

The third phase involves improvements to the varsity soccer field, which will have new stadium lighting, a building for concessions, bathrooms and storage, as well as a pedestrian path and plaza area. The cost is projected at $1 million.

The final phase will be a new scoreboard, flagpole and sound system for the football field. The cost is $768,000.

Community Development Director Jessica Wolff said plans for the final phase will have to be brought back to the Plan Commission for review.