DARIEN, CT — Construction on the new Darien High School track was expected to be complete by the time fall sports began, but with heavy rainfall in July and recent problems with a manufacturing plant in Georgia, the project has been delayed.
Darien Public Schools Director of Facilities Kevin Munrett gave the Board of Education an update on summer facilities projects on Monday and said materials for the track finally began arriving last week.
He said he expected workers to break ground on the project as early as Wednesday.
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Markings have already been made in the exchange zones on the track, Munrett said, and the base asphalt layer will be installed next. After that, the actual running surface will be placed on top.
Munrett said Oct. 1 is the target date for completion, noting that crews need 20-25 days of uninterrupted work.
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“Weather is always the enemy,” he said. “We’re praying for no rain.”
The facilities team has had meetings with all stakeholder groups about the project to inform them of what to expect as the school year starts. The first day for students is Aug. 30.
“Everyone is aware of the field space, how they’re impacted, where they need to go, and we’ve done our best to have those people work together and free up field space if they’re able to share, and everybody can have access to turf and grass fields around the district,” Munrett said.
Munrett noted he gave the contractor for the project a handful of dates for events when work needs to be stopped.
For example, during a Blue Wave home football game or a girls field hockey game, the track will be covered and protected, and construction will continue the following day.
Signage will be going up and communication will be disseminated to remind people to steer clear of the track.
Board of Education Chair David Dineen said many people walk freely on and around the track during games, and a plan to keep people away has to be “buttoned up” to protect the district’s investment in the project.
There was about $450,000 included in the FY23 capital budget to replace DHS asphalt track and jump areas, but the town received no bids. The budget estimate was based on costs at the time in approximately April 2021.
The town contacted Cape & Island, Tennis & Track and received their proposal. Using the National Cooperative Purchasing Alliance (NCPA), their cost proposal was $588,460.
Since the budget estimate was provided, the entire oil and paving industry experienced cost increases at over 40 percent, Munrett said earlier this year.
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Additionally, a “sandwich system” was then recommended for the asphalt, which would lengthen the useful life of the track by at least five years, Munrett said.
The Representative Town Meeting in March voted to approve a request to increase the appropriation and bonding authorization for the track project to $817,970.
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