Brookfield plans to move football field to school campus

Mar. 21—BROOKFIELD, Ohio — School officials are moving forward with plans to move Brookfield's football games to the soccer field at the main school campus, with the new field expected to be ready in time for fall sports.

In a unanimous vote Wednesday, the Brookfield Board of Education approved a contract with E and D Specialty Stands to provide new bleachers, while Kirila Fire Training Facilities will provide a new press box.

The existing bleachers at the soccer field don't have enough seating for football spectators.

The district expects the projects will cost $370,360 and $60,000, for a total of $430,360.

The George A. Nicholas Field, which hosted Brookfield's football games through the 2023 season, is along Addison Road at Judson Avenue, about two miles from the school campus at 614 Bedford Road S.E., off State Route 82.

Brookfield school Treasurer Jordan Weber said the existing stadium suffers from multiple issues, ranging from structural issues to ADA-compliance issues.

Weber said the list of necessary improvements led school officials to consider improvements to the district's soccer field instead, adding facilities to accommodate football games.

The school board previously voted in February to contract with Outdoor Aluminum Inc. to replace both the bleachers and press box for $603,453.

However, by contracting with E and D and Kirila, Weber said school officials plan to save about $173,090 on the project, with Kirila's owner, Jerry Kirila, offering the district a discount of almost 50%.

"He's a Brookfield guy and a Brookfield graduate, and this was a way for him to give back," Weber said of Jerry Kirila.

The school board also voted in February to hire Musco Sports Lighting LLC to provide stadium lighting, at a total proposed cost of $320,000, including a base contract of $282,000 and an alternate of $38,000, according to the meeting minutes.

The press box will also feature a cost-saving effort. Weber said the new structure will be built from a pair of shipping containers stacked on top of each other.

The containers will be furnished with electricity, HVAC and other amenities, as well as a safety railing for observers on top and access to the bleachers.

Having a shipping container serving as the press box's base instead of an empty space surrounded by scaffolding — as is the case at the current football field's press box — provides another fully furnished space below that district officials can use, Weber said.

Board member Sarah Kurpe added that she had seen similar containers used for military and construction purposes, while Weber said the containers would be cheaper and provide more space than a custom-designed press box.

"It's really incredible what they're able to do," Weber told the board members.

The planned stadium project is expected to be underway in late July or early August, with everything completed by the district's first home football game on Aug. 23, school Superintendent Toby Gibson said.

Back in 2015, a complaint to federal authorities about the lack of handicapped accessibility at the stadium led to an emergency $60,000 repair project to bring it into compliance by the start of the 2015-16 football season. Donations from local businesses and volunteer labor kept the costs down.

The George A. Nicholas Field has served the district for about 50 years. Once the improvements at the soccer field are complete, school officials will decide what to do with the property, Weber said.

The site is about seven acres, including the field, parking lot and adjacent land where Addison Elementary School once stood.

A decision on the field is not expected for a year or two, Weber said.

"There's a lot of history there. I mean, our '78 (Ohio state championship) team played there," Brookfield Athletic Director Ken Forsythe said. "It's a big deal in the community. Some people don't like change, but I think at the end of the day, this change is going to benefit a lot more people. People can see our whole complex now.

"I get it," he said. "That field has a lot of memories and a lot of great things there. It is one of the best grass fields in the area, if not the best in the area. We're giving up a lot to move it to one campus, but I think it could work out in the best interest for everybody once all the plans are done."

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