The much delayed installation of an artificial turf football field at Breaux Bridge High School was cleared to proceed last week by the St. Martin School Board.
Following a brief executive (secret) session, board members approved a motion stating, in part, that “After requesting additional testing to ensure that the shock pad proposed by the contractor met the specifications of the project’s design, (we) are satisfied that the shock pad is functionally equivalent to the pad used as the basis for the design” and authorizing the contractor to complete the turf field using the pad initially proposed.
The project was supposed to be completed by July 1, but a dispute over the shock pad the contractor – Geo Surfaces of Baton Rouge – proposed to use brought work to a halt after the subsurface preparations were completed earlier this summer.
Representatives of Vermilion Architects LLC, who designed the field, expressed doubts that Geo’s shock pad met the design specifications. A sample was sent to a New Hampshire testing facility and initial results indicated the Geo product did not meet specs.
At their July 11 meeting, board members voted to have the bonding company associated with the contract get involved in the dispute. After reviewing contract specifications and consulting with legal advisers and architectural staff, the board apparently concluded the Geo pad was acceptable.
Breaux Bridge’s first home game is scheduled for Sept. 14, the season’s third week, and board members are optimistic that the field will be ready by then.
