The foundation for the new home dugout on the Tippecanoe baseball field.

By MICHAEL SHANNON

Record Herald Writer

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TIPP CITY - Some new things are on the horizon for the Tipp City Schools.  The board of education this month approved a $204,000 new building project to the Tippecanoe High School baseball and softball fields, after they were damaged in a windstorm last fall.

The damage was done to the facilities over Labor Day weekend. High winds tore up fences, tossed bleachers, and caused damage to the dugouts and the baseball field’s backstop. The home dugout for the baseball field was completely leveled by the storm.

The damaging winds brought to light the need for stronger, sturdier dugouts, according to school officials.

The board had discussed building a two story press and concession stand combination before, but it never came to fruition until now. The board made the decision to build them all at once.

There was apprehension about the project stemming from the overall cost to build the new facilities. It is quite an investment, but, the board concluded, a necessary one.

“It just made sense,” School Facilities Director Gary Pfister said.

The school received eight bids on the project. The final contract was awarded by unanimous board vote to Brumbaugh Construction. Brumbaugh will build four new dugouts and a two story press box/concession stand combination on the softball field. Repairing damage done to the backstop is also on the to-do list. There was a proposal to add new bleacher seating to accommodate 200 spectators; however, the school did not accept that part of the proposal, due to budget constraints.

Pfister stressed that no funds for this building project are coming from the general operating budget.  The school financed the $204,000 project through a tax-exempt municipal lease proprosal with Fifth Third Bank.  Since Good Samaritan and Upper Valley Medical Center already donate $75,000 annually for the sports complex, that money will all go towards paying off the project.

“We want to make it clear to the community where the funds are coming from,” Pifster said.

The project deadline is March 16. The deadline is prior to the first home games of the season.

“We are working very hard to meet that deadline,” Pfister said.

As long as the snow and blizzards hold off, and the weather remains conducive to building, they will meet that deadline, he said. The weather has been a big factor to this point, and will continue to be through the winter months still to come.

Due to the recent agreeable weather (before this week's snowfall), Brumbaugh has been able to complete all of the demolition for all four dugouts. The foundation has been laid for the new softball dugout and press box/ concession stand, and digging is under way for the other one.