P-CEP west stadium needs new turf; won’t be usable until at least August
The Plymouth-Canton Educational Park’s west turf stadium near Plymouth High School has been out of commission since storms damaged the turf in August of 2023.
A few months after supporters of Plymouth-Canton Educational Park athletics were thrilled by the news that a third athletic stadium will be built on the sprawling three-high school campus, a dose of sobering news has emerged.
A memo from Plymouth-Canton Schools Chief Finance & Operations Officers Jill Minnick and Debbie Piesz to Superintendent Monica Merritt revealed that the turf that covers the P-CEP’s west athletic stadium will have to be completely replaced due to damage it suffered during a severe storm in August of 2023.
Members of the he Plymouth-Canton Schools Board of Education will be asked at Tuesday night’s meeting to approve a bid of $488,476 from Novi-based AstroTurf to replace the turf, which has safety-threatening seam separations and waves “across the entire” playing surface, according to the memo.
The memo urges fast action on the request in order for the stadium to be functional by August.
Extended closure
The school district’s insurance carrier, Set Seg, and Foresite Design, the original designer of the field, recommended further repairs to the turf would “compromise the integrity of the original installation”.
As of Dec. 19, 2023, the district had not learned the amount of funds needed for replacement will be reimbursed by Set Seg.
“However, due to the fact that the area was designated a federal disaster zone, we also qualify for dollars from FEMA to cover the cost of replacing this turf beyond the insurance,” the memo explained.
A Dec. 19, 2023, memo from Plymouth-Canton Schools Director of Operations Rich Welch to Minnick explained that a representative of A-Turf, the original installer of the west field (in 2019), evaluated both existing P-CEP stadium fields (the east field was closed for weeks before repairs allowed it to reopen) shortly after they were damaged by the storm that dumped an estimated 5 to 6 inches of rain on the area.
Too damaged to fix
Repairs were attempted — but not successful — on the west turf field, necessitating the complete replacement.
AstroTurf is the same company that will be installing the field at the third P-CEP stadium that will be constructed just southwest of the intersection of Joy and Canton Center roads.
The short-term closure of the east stadium and long-term closure of the west stadium last year created a wave of disruptions to the fall sports community at P-CEP. Several previously-scheduled home games for the three schools’ football and soccer teams had to be moved to opponents’ facilities.
The extension of the west stadium closure will hamper spring sports teams, including lacrosse, soccer and track-and-field.
Ed Wright can be reached at 734-664-4657 or edwright@socialhousenews.com.
