New Stone Park Athletic Complex Suffers Delay

The Dedham School Building Rehabilitation Committee flushed out a plan to build bathrooms for the new Stone Park athletic complex Tuesday evening.

The group accepted the Dant Clayton Corporation's $180,000 bid to complete the restrooms by mid-October, nearly two months after the anticipated completion of the track and fields.

The committee targeted July 31 for the completion of its track and fields in its initial proposal. SRBC chairman Andy Lawlor said a three-week cure time for the facility's track has forced a minor delay, and anticipates the new complex to be completed by August 24.

But the new sports facility could feature temporary restrooms when it opens.

Lawlor said the committee scrapped its original plan to build a mortar and brick bathroom facility due to budget constraints. The group estimated its athletic complex budget at $4.3 million initially, but its plans changed following Town Meeting's approval of a $3.1 million allowance.

The SRBC chairman said Dant Clayton Corporation's modular bathroom facilities would help the SRBC stay within its budget. 

"We've realized $95,000 in savings in modular bathrooms," Lawlor said, "but we always carry contingency funds to meet unforeseen circumstances and get flexibility." 

Construction Monitoring Services Inc. project manager Jim Byrne said the committee possesses more than $28,000 in owner’s contingency. Lawlor emphasized the modifications to the sports facility plans will help the group avoid using its contingency funds.

"It's unknown right now that we know what will be the result in cost that takes down the contingency fund," Lawlor said during Tuesday's meeting. "Our contingency is pretty grim."

Contingency funds could play an important role in completing the athletic fields and track on time. 

"The biggest wildcat we have right now is if we encounter ledge in the bleachers," Consigli project manager Christian Riordan said. 

Lawlor acknowledges boulder or ledge underneath the bleachers could delay the project's completion and force the committee to remove or reduce items from its current budget.

"We will use our contingency funds or find additional savings," Lawlor said. 

SRBC member Thomas Ryan suggested the committee delay its decision to accept a modular bathroom contractor because the plans could suffer additional delays. 

Ryan, the only committee member to vote against the motion, presented an alternative: the group could request additional funds at a future Town Meeting.

"I think we spent a lot of this discussion on timeframe for the project," Ryan said, "but with the time frame possibly changing, it’s worth bringing this discussion to Town Meeting."

Lawlor considered the pros and cons of Ryan's proposal.

“The upside for the delay would be the creation of a marginally more, aesthetically pleasing building,” Lawlor said. “The downside in putting this off is having Porta-Johns for the entire [fall] season and having an uncertain result. When I consider the delay, I think the risks outweigh the benefits.”

The SRBC chairman emphasized a delay until Town Meeting could cost the town money.

“This project has to close out or we’ll have to rewrite our contracts with professionals,” Lawlor said. “It’s not an open thing.”

The new Stone Park athletic complex could include Porta-Johns or utilize the school's restrooms until the new modular bathroom facilities are completed.

Lawlor said he expects the Dant Clayton Corporation to approve the modular restroom's design within the next week. The SRBC chairman said the mid-October target date could improve once the contract accepts the blueprint.

Dedham High School athletic complex discussion will continue when the School Building Rehabilitation Committee reconvenes on June 13 at 6:30 p.m. in the Francis O’Brien Meeting Room at .