Last month, Bristol Borough approved a contractor for track resurfacing at the high school using funds awarded last year.
Council approved the contract for American Athletic Courts (AAC) to resurface and rework the existing track running parallel to Trenton Avenue with a bid of $511,250.00, slightly more than the funds allocated from the grant last year which was for $485,000.00 that Bristol Borough originally applied with no cost to the school district.
American Athletic Track and Turf -aka AAC- is an award-winning sports construction company with a long legacy of successful projects throughout the East Coast, its website says.
Council President Ralph DiGuiseppe, in his own right, an accomplished contractor and home builder, in a moment of levity at last month’s council meeting said, “I don’t know anything about tracks,” leading officials from the borough and school district to visit tracks throughout Lower Bucks to learn the “pros and cons” of every track.
Officials said the track to be installed is good value for the funds being spent and they anticipate it will last for 20 to 25 years. The same track is currently installed at Truman High School in Bristol Township and Lehigh University.
Credit: Submitted
Officials, with an eye on using summer break to install the track before the new school begins in September, said one of the main reasons for approving AAC as the contractor was to get the work scheduled and on their calendar.
DiGuiseppe said there are only three contractors in the area who do this sort of work. The borough received three bids, with the second highest being from AAC.
School district officials are to meet with borough officials to discuss some minor details of the work to be done, DiGuiseppe said.
The $26,000.00 difference between the grant and contract, the council president said, will be picked up by the borough.
“We’re not going to skimp on the track…. Just like every other project in town, so the kids are going to get a new track, It’s going to be state-of-the-art,” DiGuiseppe said.
School Board President Dave Chichilitti was profuse in his thanks to Council, state Senator Steve Santarsiero (D-10) and state Representative Tina Davis.
“This is one of those times where state and local officials were committed to working together to get our athletes and the community at large something truly special. The school district is truly grateful for the help in getting us a new track.”
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