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    Skillman Stadium - 090616
    		  CENTER GROVE HIGH SCHOOL
      FOOTBALL STADIUM BLEACHERS
    		  

    THE LATEST
    On Friday, August 19, 2016, Center Grove High School dedicated new bleachers and a new press box at the school's football stadium during halftime of the varsity football game against Warren Central. Parents, staff, and the community joined Center Grove to thank Ray Skillman Automotive for the generous donation to fund the new home and visitor bleachers and Mr. Ray Skillman and his wife, Ann, for their personal donation to pay for a new press box.

    The bleachers, which were originally installed 40 years ago, were torn down in March after two structural engineers reported they failed load tests and lacked structural integrity. The new bleachers are secure structures that increase seating capacity for the home bleachers by 1,033 seats and the visitor bleachers by 840 seats for a total seating capacity of 5,886. The bleachers in the north end zone are much newer and will remain.

    The new home side bleachers also include a section of seats with backs, which form a "CG" in the center section. These seats can be reserved for the entire season by our parents and community members. Information about reserved seated is available from the CGHS Athletic Department.

    The new press box accommodates both home and visiting coaching staffs, media, and other guests. It includes two suites: one reserved for Mr. Skillman and his family and the other used at the discretion of high school and district administration. 
     
    CGHS Home Bleachers
    CGHS Home Bleachers - July 18, 2016    		   CGHS Visitor Bleachers
    CGHS Visitor Bleachers - July 18, 2016
     
    BACKGROUND
    In February 2016, Center Grove closed the home and visitor bleachers at the Center Grove High School Football Stadium due to safety and code compliance concerns cited in two recent inspection reports. 

    On December 15, 2015, Center Grove had an inspection conducted on the bleachers at the Center Grove High School football stadium. Typically, all the bleachers in the corporation are inspected on an annual basis. Because the stadium’s home bleachers were originally installed 40 years ago, a structural engineer was brought in to inspect the structural integrity of the bleachers. During most years, a basic inspection is conducted. The initial inspection of both the home and visitor side bleachers exposed safety and code compliance concerns. The north bleachers were not part of this inspection and will remain open.

    On February 12, 2016, a second structural engineer was contracted to conduct an analysis of the support structure for the home and visitor bleachers to determine repair options for the concerns cited in the first report. This analysis determined the stringers or support beams do not meet today’s code standards and failed the load tests, indicating a lack of structural integrity.

    Rusting Bolts
    Rusting nuts/bolts
    Thinning Galvanizing
    Thinning galvanization
     
    Sinking Frame  
    Sinking Frame
     
    Improper Footboard Installation
     Improper Footboard Installation

    The anticipated lifespan for these bleachers is 40 to 45 years. The home bleacher structure was originally constructed in 1975 and last modified 15 years ago when the seats were replaced and partially enclosed. The visitor bleachers were installed around that time.

     
    SAFETY CONCERNS
    The primary safety     concerns for the home side bleachers cited by the inspectors include:
    • Failure of load tests, indicating a lack of structural integrity
    • Rusting and deterioration of a large percentage of the nuts and bolts that hold the structure together
    • Shifting of stringers (support beams), leading to misalignment
    • Too few connections securing the columns on the home bleachers to the foundation
        • Additional connections to prevent the structure from lifting were not added when the structure was partially enclosed in 2000.
    • Thinning of the galvanization, which impacts its ability to protect the steel
     

     The primary safety concerns for the visitor side bleachers cited by the inspectors include:

    • Lack of foundation system
    • Lack of anchoring of the bleachers to the ground
    • Improper installation of footboards
     

    The primary accessibility concerns cited by the inspectors include:

    • Lack of adequate handicap seating on the home side bleachers
        • A ramp and space for six to eight handicap seats were added. However, a structure of this size requires at least four times as many spaces.
    • Location of current handicap seating on the home side bleachers
        • Current code requires all handicap seating to be no lower than the lowest row of bleachers. The current structure places all handicap seating below the bottom row of the bleachers.
        • Current code requires handicap seating to be dispersed throughout the structure. The current structure places all handicap seating on the north end of the home bleachers.
    • No handicapped seating is available on the visitor side bleachers
     
    ACTIONS TAKEN
    February 2016
    This above information was presented to the Center Grove Board of School Trustees at its February 18, 2016 meeting. (You can view the presentation via the link at the top of the page.) At that time, Superintendent Dr. Rich Arkanoff recommended the bleachers be closed until these issues are resolved. 
     
    March 2016
     
    At its March meeting, the Board heard a presentation (linked above) about a proposal to replace the bleachers. The new bleachers would increase capacity of the home bleachers by 1,033 seats and of the visitor bleachers by 840 seats for a total seating capacity of 5,886.

     

    HOME

    VISITOR

    NORTH

    TOTAL

    Current

    2663

    450

    900

    4013

    Proposed

    3696

    1290

    900

    5886

    Change

    1033

    840

    --

    1873
     
     
    The Board approved two resolutions that give Dr. Arkanoff the authority to negotiate with donors to cover the cost of the bleachers and enter into agreements for those donations. He is currently in talks with Ray Skillman and IU Health. Both have made several generous donations to Center Grove in the past and currently hold naming sponsorships of the football stadium and football field, respectively. Dr. Arkanoff told the Board the firm Dant Clayton is confident that they can complete construction of the new bleachers by August 12, 2016.
     
    Demolition began on the bleachers in late March.
     
     
    June 2016
    Installation began on the visitor side bleachers on June 18 and on the home side on June 20.
     
    August 2016
    The structure was completed in early August. Construction on the press box was mostly completed by the dedication on August 19, 2016.