March 28, 2024

Most NCSD projects completed

Berg needs final touches, fields near softball complex parking lot to be rolled next spring

As the new Berg Middle School nears its one-year anniversary, the to-do list of construction projects gets even shorter. Jack Suttek, maintenance supervisor of the Newton Community School District, said at the Monday night school board meeting the middle school is finishing up last-minute details at this point.

“I think the only (major) thing that’s really left is striping the track,” Suttek said. “I mean, we’ve got a few odds and ends that we’re still dealing with. As far as it goes, I think it’s striping the track, and they’re going to do that this week I’m told. We’ve got two really nice days and they have to wait for perfect weather.”

The southern parking lot of the middle school is completed and permits parents to pick up and drop off kids in almost record time. Prior to the construction, teachers worked as traffic control volunteers along North Fifth Avenue to direct the flow of cars and students through a small parking lot area.

On Wednesday afternoon, Berg Middle School teacher Mark Law, who also worked as a traffic control volunteer, said the new parking lot allows for most students to leave the school in a matter of minutes.

Suttek continued his facilities update, including the status of projects such as the south parking lot and concession stand at the softball complex and the H.A. Lynn Stadium Completion. The parking lot near the softball complex, which was constructed along South 15th Avenue West, is completed, Suttek said.

“I was just sitting on it today,” Suttek said Monday. “We need final cleanup out there. Looks really good. It’s going to be a great asset to the stadium out there. I’m really pleased with how that turned out.”

Both the softball complex concession stand and the field turf at H.A. Lynn Stadium have been completed apart from close out documents. However, there was a snag crews ran into regarding the followup work with the adjacent soccer fields next to the parking lot.

Knowing the construction of the lot would reduce the number of practice fields, the school district had planned to improve the remaining fields used by area youth leagues. Head coaches from Newton High Cardinal girls’ and boys’ soccer teams had even expressed their feelings to the school board.

Maintenance still wants to smooth out the fields as planned, but poor weather conditions had prevented that from happening this past season.

“As far as the rolling goes, that is still a work in progress right now,” Suttek said. “I have contacted the same people that helped us with the softball field and helped us out there with the Berg football field and they’re coming over this spring and are going to help us whip that place in shape.”

Otherwise, Suttek said he’s “been nothing but pleased with the results” Newton Community School District has received from these projects. NCSD Superintendent Bob Callaghan and Suttek also acknowledged the help and support of Rachelle Hines of FRK Architects + Engineers for assisting these projects.

Contact Christopher Braunschweig at 641-792-3121 ext. 6560 or cbraunschweig@newtondailynews.com