Aransas Pass ISD Sports Complex Improvements
Posted on 02/23/2021
For the past few weeks, residents in Aransas Pass have been watching the bulldozers pushing dirt, machines pumping water and changes taking place behind the high school.
"There is growth and excitement taking place in our schools, in the classroom, and now we have some growth and excitement taking place on some of our facilities. After Harvey some things happened, and we have rebounded from that, and now this is going from there, moving forward and actually adding some things we have needed for a long time around here," said APISD Assistant Superintendent Wayne Bennett.
Lamarr Womack and Associates Architects has partnered with the School District of Aransas Pass to upgrade the district's sports complex. When this three-phase construction project is complete, they will have a new home ticket booth, press box, concession stand, bleachers, background netting, dugouts, bullpens for baseball and softball, a new maintenance building and much more.
"They have an existing stadium here, with existing ball fields, and they haven't had much improvement in over probably 20 years. So at this point, they are upgrading their facilities. Everything is going to be new out here, including all concrete walks, and a new concession restroom building that services the softball field, baseball field, and the football stadium, " said LWA Managing Partner Todd Brendalen.
These projects are expected to be completed by September 2021. "They are doing it in different phases so they will be turning over some of the fields at different times. The overall different projects should be completed by October. So September till October, the projects should all be complete, and the facilities will be up and running so they will be able to use it for baseball season next season," said Brendalen.
Other changes to the athletic facilities scheduled under the first phase of the renovation project include upgrades to the drainage system around the complex.
"Right now, everything is surface drainage, and everything is low out here, and the water has a city drainage system. So what we are trying to do is put in box culverts; that is going to hide all the ditches that they have out here. We are going to get rid of all the low ditch areas that the kids have to walk through and actually put box culverts in. What that is going to do is level all the fields out there and get the water going below the fields," said Brendalen.
Bennett added the importance in making sure all of this renovation work is completed is for the kids."Every bit of it is for the kids. It is giving them what they deserve; it is giving them a place they can be proud of, and that pride will be instilled in them. They will take it into the classroom; it will help them take it out into the community. It is pride for our community. We can be proud, and people that drive through our town that hear about all the great things going on in the classrooms at our district, and now they drive by and will see these great facilities and say 'This is where I want to be'," said Bennett.
Story by Roland Rodriguez, Public Relations.