The new ag arena at Pierce County High School should be completed by May.
Harbin Farr, facilities director for Pierce County Schools, gave board members an update on the project at their monthly work session March 2.
Farr gave a slide show presentation on the project.
R.H. Tyson Construction of Blackshear gave a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) of $1,157,318 for the new arena in October.
The slab has been poured for the facility and block work is underway on the concession stand and bathrooms at the facility.
The stall barn is also well underway and utilized much of the existing structure.
The arena area is lagging behind due to a delay in construction materials.
The construction materials are expected to arrive in the next few weeks.
Once completed, the ag complex will feature a hog show arena with a judge’s platform and a stall barn for show animals with both facilities separated by a wall to hide the pen area. Gates would allow presenters and their animal to enter the arena. The arena area would have three seating areas to accommodate up to 150 spectators and a half-wall to allow for standing room crowds. The arena would also have a concession stand and restrooms. Large fans would circulate air in the show arena and stall barn area.
The stall barn and arena would be designed to show hogs, but it can be added on to in the future for larger animals including horses.
The facility is being built on the current location of the Jimmy Mock Arena on the high school campus. The new building will include the show arena, concession area and bathrooms.
The board already has $500,000 set aside for the construction of the agriculture arena. The additional funding would come from the capital projects funds and the system’s cash reserves.
In other news during the facility update, Farr reported on stadium renovations and lighting at the baseball field.
Farr said the renovations at Bear Stadium are “practically completed” with only some touch up work, including installation of railings at handicap ramps remaining.
Farr announced the installation of LED lighting at the baseball field may not be completed until after the season is over.
“We are currently waiting on the lighting to come in,” he said. “Once it does, we will need about a week to install it. I am not sure we can take a week out of the baseball season to do it, so it might have to wait until the season is over. “
