APSB approves $1.5 million new track project

Avoyelles Parish public school athletes will have new or improved running tracks on three campuses this fall.
During the April meeting, the Avoyelles Parish School Board approved a $1.5 million project to repair existing tracks at Marksville and Bunkie High schools and also to install a track around the football field at Avoyelles High in Moreauville.
Steve Marcotte, APSB maintenance supervisor, said the project will begin as soon as possible and will, hopefully, be completed by the start 2022-23 football season.
“Engineers are finalizing all of the paperwork to begin work and have it done before football,” he said. “If not, we will work around it but finishing is the first goal.”
Progressive Construction Company was awarded the $1,558,150 project.
Superintendent Karen Tutor was pleased the school board was able to provide functional tracks at the schools.
"We want our kids to not only have quality resources for practice but we also want to continue to welcome people into our community for events,” she said. “These three tracks will enhance the communities where our high schools are located and give our students the opportunity to compete at home."
Rene Borrel of Borrel Engineering Company explained that the cost with no field surfacing is $796,750 making the asphalt tracks built to Louisiana Athletic Association specifications without no-wear surfacing.
The accepted bid included an additional $761,400 for wear-surfacing bringing the total project to $1.5 million.
According to Marcotte, tracks at Marksville and Bunkie high schools, will be re-overlayed and re-cushioned.
Avoyelles High football field will have the school’s first running track installed to the same specifications.