Canyons Stadium Shakes Off Damage, Repairs Expected by Football Season

College of the Canyons’ football and track stadium, which suffered extensive damage in the Jan. 17 earthquake, is expected to be repaired in time for the high school football season in September.

That’s good news for Canyon, Hart and Saugus highs, whose football teams traditionally play several games each season at the college. Until last month, however, the schools figured they might be forced to play at alternate sites this season.

Gary Olmstead, business manager at Canyons, said Wednesday that he expects repair work to be completed by late August.

“We still have to work out some details about when the next stages (of construction) will begin, but if we get started within the next couple of weeks, we should be OK,” Olmstead said.

Repair costs, expected to total approximately $505,000, can be broken down into four categories: Laying the foundation for the track ($138,100), resurfacing and re-striping the track and infield runways ($264,000), repairing subsurface damage to the stadium ($91,000) and paying the project manager ($12,000).

The Federal Emergency Management Agency will pay for 90% of the costs. Canyons will pay 2.5%, or $12,625.

The foundation work, which involved removing the damaged track and laying a three-inch layer of asphalt as a base for the new track, was completed June 29.

The asphalt requires three to four weeks to cure before the new track can be laid. Installation of the track, which also takes three to four weeks, consists of pouring the rubberized track and infield runways, letting them cure and re-striping the track.

There will be two alterations to the new track. The distance for one lap will be shortened from 440 yards to the standard 400 meters and the steeplechase water jump will be moved from the outside to the inside of the second turn.

Plans call for repair work on subsurface stadium damage to take place in conjunction with the track resurfacing, Olmstead said.

No track and field meets were held at the stadium last spring because of damage to the track. The track facilities normally are used by colleges and high schools.

Subsurface repair involves drilling holes through the cement at the base of the stadium foundation and pouring in a cement-type solution to fill gaps that formed between the foundation and soil.

“All (of the work should start) within the next couple of weeks,” Olmstead said.

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