Boyertown Parents Seek Answers to Stadium Woes

Memorial Stadium at Boyertown Area Senior High School is currently closed to the public due to potential structural problems, with the exception of the track team, which uses the two inside lanes to practice.

A standing-room only crowd packed the school board facilities committee meeting Tuesday, filled with people who wanted answers about when repairs will begin on Memorial Stadium.

More specifically, they wanted to know whether it will be repaired in time for the fall sports (football) season.

They didn't get all the answers they sought, largely because those answers don't exist yet, but those that do, they received.

On Feb. 26, the board hired Barry Isett & Assoc. to complete a structural analysis of the stadium and present options for the repairs. That is the same firm that in January reported the stadium may have structural problems and should be closed to the public.

Tom Slowik, the firm's senior forensic engineer, will give an update on progress to the school board at its April 10 meeting, according to a timeline handed out by Facilities Committee Chairman David Lewis. The deadline for presenting final options is the week of April 23.

As things stood Tuesday, those findings will be presented first to the facilities committee at the May 1 meeting, and the full board will vote on a course of action on May 8.

After that, a bid must be prepared and after a month the bids will be opened and work can begin.

The parents who attended thanked the board for what information was prevented and urged them to understand the importance the stadium holds to high school athletes in the community.

The possibility of special meetings to get started sooner, as well as option for night work, were broached.

Athletic Director Nick Palladino said he has several options for the fall sports season, the selection of which will depend on how long the repairs will take.

Here are the Tweets from the meeting: