The hope was for the new artificial surface, new lights and new track surface to be down and in place when the first day of fall sports practice rolled around August 1. For those that have been paying attention, that’s not going to happen.

 

According to Harrison County Assistant Superintendent of Schools Anthony Fratto, the company that does that work should officially begin Monday. The issue with that, however, is that high school football and soccer will begin their preseason practice and work on the field could cause some hiccups.

 

“We have been promised that they will be on site by (Monday) and that they need 17 days,” said Fratto. “We expect them to be there as much later than that gets you to the start of fall sports. As for practice, we’re hoping it won’t create too many problems as we’re looking at wood bridges to get the students back and forth across the work area.”

 

BHS Principal Mark DeFazio is disappointed in the situation. Initially, contractors were supposed to arrive the Monday after the new Field Turf was installed. That has not happened.

 

“Now the hope is that they get started as soon as possible. I’m not really sure what the issues are and it really doesn’t matter, but we were told that they would be in as soon as the turf was done and that hasn’t happened,” said DeFazio. “We know there have been some weather issues that supposedly has led to the delay, but this is weeks later than what was anticipated and now you’re interfering with soccer and football and forced to work around that.”

 

Being thrown curve balls isn’t new to DeFazio, Fratto or anyone involved with the educational process. Because of that, DeFazio said everyone will simply have to adapt.

 

“I’m confident we’ll figure something out and wait until they get into place and work with the contractor to make sure our student-athletes are where they need to be,” said DeFazio. “You just didn’t want to have to figure something out is the issue.”

 

Once finished, Bridgeport will have a newly surfaced six-lane, all-weather track. It will be a similar red color as the previous track surface. Right now, the track is down to the asphalt base.

 

Another project also is not complete. Fratto said he’s hopeful the new lights – four 70-foot poles and fixtures – will be completed soon as well. The delay with that, he said, is that the casing around the poles need to be 12 to 14 feet deep.

 

“Once done, you’ll have a quality product,” said Fratto. “You’ll go from six light poles to four, or a third less, but you’ll have more lighting on the field. You will notice the field being much brighter than it was previously.”

 

Editor's Note: Top photo shows a well-kept Jamison Field complex, but only asphalt is showing where a new all-weather track is set to be installed. Bottom photo shows Assistant Harrison County Superintendent of Schools Anthony Fratto.