The Herald, Sharon, Pa.

Local News

July 18, 2012

Board OKs latest change for Case play area layout

By Courtney L. Saylor The Herald

SHARON — Sharon school directors Monday night fleshed out a revised plan for the play areas at the new Case Avenue Elementary.

Eckles Construction Services Vice President John Pappas presented drawings to the board, who went over details for about an hour.

They agreed to have the firm, which is overseeing construction of the $20 million new school and designed it, price out the changes.

The original plan was to put a play area and outdoor classroom on the east side of the building at the corner of East State Street and the driveway in front of the high school.

The new design puts playground equipment, a basketball court and space for other games on the west side, which was initially supposed to be parking.

The east side will have an outdoor amphitheater Principal Traci Valentino said she expects they’ll use regularly for classes and events and a field for games like kickball.

Splitting the space will keep down distractions if teachers are using the amphitheater for lessons, Pappas said.

The change will make the east side project less expensive but the right side will be more expensive than when it was supposed to be a parking lot.

The board members talked about making part of the paved play area available for about seven extra parking spaces, but decided they weren’t necessary.

“I think the more grass the better,” Rich Mancino said.

Valentino said some children like to play games like kickball so the layout of the play area enables teachers to watch all the students.

Pappas said they’ll be looking at samples of ornamental fencing to put up along State and Case to protect children while they’re playing, especially if a ball goes off course.

A driveway loop off Case will have a few parking spaces for visitors and for parents to drop off and pick up children.

The board’s looking at buying property on Forker Boulevard across from the high school to use for high school staff parking.

The board also approved a $79,700 change order to put in a new sidewalk and curbs in along East State Street.

Pappas said they expected the cost to be as much as $95,000.

The work will be done before crews lay new asphalt down over State when the Aqua Pennsylvania waterline replacement project is finished.

Initially, the district planned to put in new sidewalks in-house, but now that the other work is happening they want to get it finished in conjunction with the paving project, Pappas said.

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