Groundbreaking for the Spartan Stadium Replacement Project officially began on June 20, 2022. “This is an exciting time for our students and community,” stated Diana Reaume, Superintendent. “Our school board and a stakeholder team of community members worked really hard prior to COVID to develop plans and a vision for our stadium, which came to a complete stop on March 12, 2020,” she said.
What appeared to be the demise of plans with such an abrupt stop to the actual approval of the stadium was really an opportunity in disguise. The district was unsure of funding for the project and was entertaining the idea of a short-term Capital Projects Levy which would have needed a simple majority voter approval prior to COVID,” Reaume said. “We were looking for creative ways to finance the project to avoid a tax increase.”
During COVID (with the addition of several years prior), Quillayute Valley School District’s Debt Service Fund collected unexpected local timber dollars from its Junior Taxing District – precisely enough to pay for Phase I (the prefabricated stadium structure and installation, ticket booth, and updated concrete work). Without a current debt, the district would not have access to those specific timber dollars.
Phase 2 is scheduled for next Summer (2023) and will include the building of a separate bathroom facility and site improvements, such as new fencing, etc. For this season, spectators will have access to restrooms near the FHS concession stand.
The QVSD School Board approved the replacement project in their regular board meeting on January 24, 2022, as well as the transfer of $2 million worth of local timber revenues from the Debt Service Fund to the Capital Project Funds to complete Phase 1. The District has applied for a state grant to support Phase II of the project and will utilize local levy dollars for upgraded fencing and site improvements. The overall estimated cost of Phase 1 and Phase 2 is approximately $3.3 million.
“We know there is no ideal time to tear down the stadium, and we thank you for your patience, Spartan fans. Our initial plans included a completion date of Phase 1 by September 1st of the 2022-23 school year. We learned earlier this month that there will be a delay in the delivery of materials (the prefabricated stadium structure) due to disruptions in the supply chain. The delivery date of the stadium structure has been pushed back until August 29th.”
The estimated time of project completion will be the middle of October. Regardless, there will be home events this fall. The district has scheduled home events for the Spartan Varsity Football team and Spartan Girls Soccer team. Access to the game(s) will be routed through the east side of the stadium by Forks Elementary School. The District will accommodate fans with temporary aluminum bleachers (nine sets of bleachers) on the east side of the stadium and towards each end goals. The west side of the stadium (where construction will be taking place) will be blocked off for safety.
Fall Sports Home Games at Spartan Field
Spartan Football
Home Games:
September 23 Forks vs. Ilwaco
September 30 Forks vs. Raymond South Bend
Spartan
Homecoming Week
October 28 Forks vs. Napavine (Senior Night)
Spartan Girls Soccer
Home Games:
September 19 Forks vs. Kalama
September 24 Forks vs. Coupeville
September 26 Forks vs. Ocosta
October 5 Forks vs. Napavine
For more information about Fall Spartan Athletic schedules, go to https://forksspartans.com/.
Interwest Construction, Inc. (ICI) are preparing to pour the footings for Spartan stadium, which will seat 1136 fans. Submitted photos Spartan Stadium Replacement Project Groundbreaking (Pictured from left to right): Mike Reaves – School Board Member, Kevin Hinchen – School Board Member, Shannon Dahlgren – School Board Member, Bill Rohde – School Board President, Diana Reaume – Superintendent, Bill Henderson – Maintenance Director, Kyle Weakley – Assistant Superintendent, Athletic Director, and Jacob Debray, Interwest Construction, Inc (ICI) Superintendent of Project (Not pictured, Ron Hurn – School Board Member and Bob Lindstrom, BLRB Architects).
