Brock ISD breaks ground on ball fields

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Board members Marty Ivey, John McGuire, Travis Faulkner, Shanna Boleman, superintendent Richard Tedder, high school principal Jamie Payne, head softball coach Ryan Starnes, assistant superintendent Scott Drillette and head baseball coach/junior high principal Chad Massey came out to witness the first concrete pour for new baseball and softball facilities at Brock. Not pictured are board members Bill Cooper, Danielle Felts and Cody Lane. Sally Sexton/Democrat Photo
A crew from Fields, Inc., a contractor out of Georgia, pours cement into the first structure for the Brock ISD baseball/softball complex. Brock superintendent Richard Tedder said the project, which cost an estimated $2.3 million, is expected to be completed within the next few months. Sally Sexton/Democrat Photo

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December 21, 2012

Brock ISD breaks ground on ball fields

Improvements part of $2.29 million bond package approved in May

Anonymous Weatherford Democrat The Weatherford Democrat Fri Dec 21, 2012, 06:52 AM CST

By SALLY SEXTON | ssexton@weatherforddemocrat.com

What was once a massive grassy plot behind the tennis courts of the Brock High School campus has begun its transformation.

Brock ISD trustees and high school staff were on hand last week to witness workers from Fields Inc. begin the concrete process.

“Fields Inc. began the dirt work about Nov. 26 and finished up today,” Brock superintendent Richard Tedder said last Wednesday. “The contracts are being finalized at present and the fields are expected to be in playing condition by the first of February.”

The baseball and softball projects were one of three propositions passed by Brock voters in May, for an amount of $2.29 million.

The next construction steps include installing a drainage system and irrigation, running electrical wiring for field lights and building press boxes, sidewalks and fencing.

“Both fields will be all turf and all weather facilities with bleachers to seat more than 400 for baseball and more than 300 for softball,” Tedder said.

The fields, which back up against each other, are set up so that the sun sets behind the third base sides.

“We did some research and found out that the least-used throwing combination is from first to third,” Tedder said. “So when we built it, we arranged for the sun to be at the third baseman’s back.

“We’re just so exited about the beautiful surroundings of the fields and what they will add to our high school campus.”

The baseball and softball facilities are just a start, as the district will also soon take action on an ag barn, approved for $150,000, and improvements to the junior high and elementary including a new roof and parking lot renovations, as well as buses and technology for $530,000.

Bidding is currently out for the agriculture barn, and sealed proposals are to be submitted by Thursday. Brock ISD trustees will meet Friday to select a construction manager at risk for the barn project.

“This project is approximately 12,000 square feet and includes an enclosed pen area with storage, a who pavilion and front porch area for project work,” Tedder said. “We hope to complete this project by the first of April.”

The new barn will be located just eat of the agricultural building that is currently on campus. Dirt work for the site is scheduled to begin before Christmas.