New turf set for Withington

by Mike Pryson and Claire Cummings Jackson Citizen Patriot

Work is expected to begin as early as Wednesday to replace the artificial turf at Withington Community Stadium.

The new surface, which will look and feel more like grass, will restore the stadium as one of the state's top football facilities, said Jackson Athletic Director Russell Davis.

The Jackson School Board on Monday voted 5-0 to approve a $600,000 renovation project .
The cost for the turf is $518,600. Another $115,216 was allocated for construction of a new stadium entrance way, to be dedicated to the family of NFL coach and Jackson native Tony Dungy.

The turf project is scheduled to be completed by Aug. 19.

"Ten years ago, when I took this job, we had one of the premier facilities in the state," Davis said. "We were one of just a few of the artificial turf fields in the state.

"When this work is done, with the entrance, the turf, a new sound system, a few enhancements to the press box and the seating, it's going to be one of the premier facilities once again."
The entrance construction, which was awarded to Adams Building Contractors of Blackman Township, will be funded with leftover money from a 2004 voter-approved bond issue.

The turf project was given to GeneralSports Venue, a company with Michigan ties and headquarters in Raleigh N.C., and will be financed with a combination of bond dollars and the money in the district's turf trust fund.
Both were the low bidders.

Jackson and Lumen Christi, the two high schools that use the stadium, contribute a $1 surcharge on tickets sold to stadium events to a turf fund that has $195,000 in it, said Bill Hannon, deputy superintendent for finance and operations.

The new turf — which is generally considered to be safer than traditional artificial turf — is guaranteed for eight years but expected to last 10 to 13, said Tom Hutt, project manager and superintendent for Granger Construction and a member of the committee that researched the new turf and solicited bids.

The new field will contain an extensive drainage system. The roughly $200,000 system is expected to remain in place the next time the turf is replaced, which will lower the cost of future replacements.

"There are so many concerns and issues with getting new turf, but at the forefront is safety," Davis said. "The field we have now needs replacing. The seams are broken in some areas."
The new turf will replace the artificial turf that has been in place since 1996. The life expectancy of the old surface was 10 years.

The first scheduled game on the new turf is Aug. 28, when Jackson hosts Detroit Northwestern. Jackson will conduct its August football practices at the Middle School at Parkside until the renovations are complete.