An ongoing effort to improve athletics facilities at Franklin County High School and Middle School will continue if voters approve the extension of a special purpose local option sales tax (SPLOST). The majority of funds set aside for athletics would go toward resurfacing the high school track, installing artificial turf on the field at Ed Bryant Stadium and other stadium renovations.
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Renovations planned for Ed Bryant Stadium to be funded by an extension of the SPLOST for schools will include reconfiguring the sprint lanes on the track, along with resurfacing the track. (Photo by Scoggins)
CARNESVILLE – Improving athletics facilities has been a focus for Franklin County Schools over the last few years.
Weight rooms have been redone or added at Franklin County High School and Middle School.
A new home for cheerleading and renovations to a former gym for wrestling have been done.
A new fieldhouse for middle school sports was built and locker rooms, meeting rooms and an indoor training area for high school football was completed.
The next step in the system’s efforts will come if the school system’s special purpose local option sales tax (SPLOST) is renewed by voters on March 16.
The Franklin County School System is asking to extend the local one-cent per dollar tax for five years or until it collects $30 million.
Athletic facilities – along with a new Royston Elementary School and agriculture education program additions – are one of the big three items on the SPLOST ballot.
While there are many items on the athletics department’s wish list, renovations to Ed Bryant Stadium are at the top of the list.
They will start with the resurfacing and reconfiguration of the track.
Athletic Director Jason Oliver said that the track’s surface has deteriorated, especially in lanes one and two.
“I don’t even feel comfortable running home meets,” Oliver said.
The track will also be reconfigured so that the sprint lanes run in the correct direction.
As the track is currently laid out, the sprint lanes begin on the opposite side of traditional tracks. The change will mean that a hill on the school-end of the stadium will have to be cut into and a retaining wall added.
“If I don’t do anything but give our cheerleaders a place to cheer and get a track to run in the right direction, I’ll be doing something,” Oliver said.
SPLOST funds are important for the project because track is a non-revenue sport.
Equipment for the sport, however, is expensive. Not including the track surface, a new pole vault pit, which is needed, could cost $20,000-$25,000, Oliver said.
The school system also plans to install artificial turf on the football field.
More and more schools are going to turf fields, Oliver said, and turf will be a “game changer.”
An artificial surface drains quickly, which will mean spring sports, which start during the rainiest part of the year in Georgia, will always have a place to practice.
Football would also be able to choose whether to practice in the mornings before school or after school, Oliver said, and the marching band can practice on the actual field instead of an auxiliary field.
The track and turf projects will cost a total of about $2 million.
Oliver said he plans to have bid specifications in place so that if SPLOST is approved, he can quickly get bids out for the work. Hopes are to have the new track and football surface in place for the beginning of the 2021 football season.
The SPLOST funds will also be used to pay for a new digital scoreboard at Ed Bryant Stadium, some renovations to the visitors’ side of the field, a new sound system and possibly LED lighting.
Other items for athletics on the SPLOST wish list may include dugout renovations for softball and baseball, resurfacing tennis courts and other items if funds are available.
One item not on the list for this SPLOST will be a new or auxiliary gym for basketball.
That’s a need, Oliver said, but the more expensive cost of a new gym – $8-$10 million – will mean it will be a part of the next SPLOST extension in five years or so.