The football stadium lighting at Manteca High may be replaced.
The Manteca Unified board on Tuesday is being asked to increase the design phase of the Manteca High School Stadium Renovation Project by $300,000 to include new lighting and four other items. The design portion of the Manteca High endeavor will now cost $650,000
The board in November approved moving forward with the design of upgrades for football stadiums at Manteca, East Union, and Lathrop high schools.
Replacing filed lighting at Manteca High wasn’t included at the time.
Since then, Manteca Unified has been unable to verify whether the state Division of State Architects (DSA) considers the lighting as acceptable. Given the lighting at the stadium struggles to perform, the district administration is recommending full replacement of the lighting.
Other issues being addressed with the increase design funding include:
*The main electrical service for the stadium has been reviewed by the design team. The age and condition of this infrastructure requires replacement.
*The fire alarm system, audio visual system and emergency egress lighting for the stadium have been determined inadequate and require replacement or upgrade.
*Emergency backup battery storage will be required by DSA in order to support the emergency egress lighting.
Funding for the three high school stadium projects will draw from some of the remaining $159 million in the 2014 Measure G bond proceeds and the $260 million Measure A bonds approved in November 2020.
The design phase for all three stadiums will now cost $1.35 million.
The first projects to move forward will be at East Union and Lathrop High schools. The Manteca High stadium work will follow those two campuses due to more code compliance needs attributed to the age of some of the facilities being addressed that date back to 1959.
Both Manteca and EU require upgrades to the storm water system to allow their use during and after inclement weather.
All three high schools will get 8-lane all-weather tracks. The turf, although in excellent repair, requires significant and ongoing maintenance. The project will allow the installation of hybrid Bermuda turf that increases the durability of the turf.
Irrigation systems will be replaced to address ongoing issues and to align with standards for water conservation, adequate coverage, and controls.
The turf will be designed to accommodate both football and soccer.
The three stadiums will be brought up to current building codes. That includes Americans with Disabilities Act compliance concerns and providing for lighting upgrades to emergency egress requirements.
Work specific to the Manteca High stadium includes:
*Replacing the 1,000-seat visitors’ bleachers.
*A possible alternate add-on of 22 feet of netting over an 8-foot chain link fence between the southern end of the stadium and an adjoining mobile home park.
*Installing 650 linear feet of 8-foot chain link fence elsewhere with a possible alternative to that of a masonry wall instead.
*Installing 1,145 linear feet of linear chain link fence or the alternate of a wrought iron security fence.
*Proposed replacement facilities for high jump, triple/long jump, pole vault, shot put and discus.
*An existing building on the northeast edge of the stadium to be repurposed as team rooms.
*New ticket booth/restroom building as well as a picnic/pop up tent area.
*Proposed storage containers.
*Installing ADA parking and an accessibility path.
*Demolishing a building in the southeast corner of the stadium.
*Proposed scoreboard and flag pole.
Work specific to East Union High’s stadium includes:
*Proposed ADA parking stalls.
*New flag pole.
*New improvements for triple jump/long jump, pole vault, shot put, and discus.
*Proposed storage containers.
Work specific to Lathrop High includes:
*Upgrades to existing ADA parking.
*Proposed storage containers.
*New triple jump/long jump, discus, shot out, pole vault, and high jump areas.
The school board meets at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the district office complex, Airport Way and Louise Avenue.
To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com
