New turf for Hornet Football Field, track construction soon
Gary Nugent of GN Excavation & Trucking completed interior work of the football field June 1st. The Motz Group is applying the turf. It’s expected to be completed by fall. Next, GN will begin demolition of the old track.
The new football field on HCMS/HCHS campus is expected to be completed by fall of this year, and construction on the track starts soon. The Hancock County Board of Education approved GN Excavation & Trucking’s low bid, with the addition of The Motz Group (track & turf field company) bid at $751,775. Gary Nugent of GN is the general contractor for both projects, and the total amount approved was $2,316,000.
Gary said the prep work they’ve done to create a perfectly smooth field before turf is applied required a lot of work, and that the robotic equipment he invested in was one of the best decisions he’s made in order to synchronize perfectly with the calibrations of the engineers. He said he has a great team of workers that have made sure every layer of the sub base is very well done.
The engineering firm certified that the grade was just right. GN’s deadline of June 1st has been met and the interior work is finished. The Motz Group will begin applying the turf, and it should be ready for fall.
An advanced drainage system is underneath the field. After the sub grade was done, geo textile fabric was put down. It will allow water to go through, keep dirt and rock from coming up to the surface and prevent dirt from entering the drainage pipes, Gary said. There is a base layer of 57 one-inch stones, and a 2-inch layer of #8 quarter-inch cap stone.
“There’s a concrete curb we poured all the way around it. The concrete catch basins and drainage system go all the way down toward the bus garage and come out into a ditch,” he said. “We also took all the dirt off the nearby hill and brought it up here to create this parking lot behind the concession stand. It was our borrow site to get the dirt to build this up. Now it can be farmed.”
GN poured a concrete pad for the visitor team bleachers and a 16-foot-wide pad for the building that players can run out to the field from as well. Ricky Johnson Plumbing is remodeling and adding onto the bathrooms and concession stand. Stonework will be added to the concession and press box to match the Redi-Rock wall that GN constructed.
Track
The sub grade work on the track will begin soon. After demolition of the old track, the new drainage system will be installed, then a stone base will be added. Yager Materials is subcontracted to place the asphalt, and lastly Motz will apply the rubberized track. It will be black and have 8 full, regulation lanes with white & yellow striping. The bleachers will be expanded as well.
Gary agreed to donate $40,000 a year, for 10 years, totaling $400,000, to assist the school with these 2 projects and has been awarded naming rights for both. GN signage will appear on the rock wall, sidelines of the field and beside the track.
By Jennifer Wimmer
