Butte News

Nearly $500,000 in repairs to be done at Bulldog Memorial Stadium

Posted: Dec 20, 2012 2:04 PM by Shannon Davis
Updated: Dec 20, 2012 2:31 PM

BUTTE - The Butte School District will spend nearly $500,000 on improvements to the Bulldog Memorial Stadium.

"It is structurally OK, but it has the potential that if we don't do these repairs to become unsafe," said Jed Hoopes, facilities director for the Butte School District.

The Bulldog Memorial Stadium was built in the late 1970s, according to Hoopes. Since that time, ongoing maintenance was performed on the stadium to keep the bleachers waterproof. Despite the Butte School Districts best efforts, the cement structure is deteriorating.

Nearly a year ago the school board considered performing repairs on the stadium, Hoopes said. If repairs are not done within the near future, the stadium could become a safety hazard which would force the school board to close the facility. Building a new stadium could cost up to $2 million.

The improvements will begin in March. Bentley Construction Company in Butte will remove the existing waterproof material, repair the crumbling stairs, and strengthen the support structure beneath the bleachers. In late June a new waterproof treatment will be applied to the entire stadium to prevent future damage, according to Hoopes.

The money for this project will come from the Butte High School levy fund.