District approves game plan for new stadium

Nevin Rauch, Second-Level Reporter|January 9, 2020

On Nov. 19, the Milton school board voted 8-1 to move forward with its plan for the Athletic Complex and the Health and Wellness Fitness Center. The vote allowed the district to acquire funding up to $12 million for the project.

The project includes a new wrestling area replacing the existing gym locker rooms and a lower level to be used for storage, said Athletic Director Mr. Rod Harris. This lower-level now houses wrestling mats, the football locker room and the weight room, added Mr. Harris.

The Athletic Complex will include a new turf field, an eight-lane all-weather track, new home bleachers, new “home” and “away” locker rooms for football, additional storage underneath the officials changing room, a new concession stand, a press box and lights, said Mr. Harris.

Mr. Harris said the fitness center will include a weight room and treadmills. He added that other schools have fitness centers like this. All faculty, staff, students and the community will have access to the fitness center, but hours for the community center are not known yet, he added.

The health and wellness addition will include a fitness center to be used for gym classes, and new home and away locker rooms with a training room in the middle with easy access to the stadium, according to Mr. Harris.

Mr. Harris said at this point in the process, there will be weekly meetings with the architect to go over details for the blueprints. He added the bids for construction are not up yet.

According to Mr. Harris, the allotted cost for the Athletic Complex is $6 million, and the Health and Wellness Center is also $6 million.

The money for the projects is coming from bonds, according to Mr. Harris. According to Business Manager Mr. Derek Fink, the district worked on the financial plan for the project with PFM Financial Advisors of Philadelphia. “We will restructure our existing debt and issue a new series of bonds and notes to provide us the opportunity to reinvest in our school facilities,” he explained. “The issuance of new bonds and notes over the next two years could total a maximum of $30 million in new money borrowed from the bonds and notes. The new debt service will be reduced or paid off with regular payments over 30 years.”