Athletic facility improvements help boost sports program
Cardinal Gibbons High School has undergone many upgrades in the past decade. These include a building expansion and renovation of the football stadium to lay an artificial turf surface.
Adjacent to the football stadium, six tennis courts and a grass practice field for many sports stayed the same. This was despite the courts being situated at a suboptimal orientation and the entire area suffering from subsurface drainage problems.
New improvements to the school’s athletic facilities
The school sought to reconfigure the tennis courts and practice field to provide an improved facility for its athletes. As a result, WithersRavenel provided the following for six new tennis courts, an upgraded practice field, and a parking lot expansion. Additionally, our team improved nearby pedestrian access and pathways
- Surveying
- Civil engineering
- Landscape architecture
- Permitting
WithersRavenel relocated the courts to provide the optimum orientation and improve the drainage issues. The practice field size was increased and specified with an artificial surface. Additionally, the parking lot expansion added 34 parking spaces that were greatly needed during school hours for staff. These new spaces are also beneficial for ADA users, media representatives, and recreation officials during sporting events.
Below the practice field, WithersRavenel employed an innovative stormwater system that filters and stores rainwater. This makes the field a Best Management Practice (BMP).
Project challenges and lessons learned
This project was a good example of lessons learned in collaboration and open communication during construction. Because the site used new stormwater technology, we needed close communication with the contractor from the start. Some of the retaining walls posed challenges for the contractor. However, our team worked closely with the contractor and fixed this before it became an issue.
