Option A2 would transform Bobotas Field behind LHS

LACONIA — The Huot Regional Technical Education Center Planning Committee last night endorsed the latest — and most ambitious — proposal for relocating the football field and reconfiguring Bobotas Field at Laconia High School. All proposed improvements are part of the project to expand and renovate the Huot Center.

Introducing the plan — dubbed "Option A2" — Principal Steve Beals explained that the school property encompasses 19 acres, seven of which are not put to their full use. The plan, he said, was intended to put the available space to its maximum and optimal use.

The plan calls for radically altering the terrain east of the football field by removing the hill and creating two terraces stretching from the rear of the school building to the far side of Bobotas Field, which is in Gilford. The first 350 feet between the school building and first terrace would be divided between a parking lot with spaces for 140 vehicles and a green space of 35,000-square-feet. A berm would divide the parking area and green space from the first terrace, which would hold the football field.

The bleachers, press box and concession stand would be on the west sideline with lawn seating along the east sideline on the slope between the gridiron and second terrace. Practice fields would be delineated on the second terrace.

Beals said that the advantage of the plan is that it makes full use of the available property and provides more parking and green space than any alternative. He noted that the 35,000-square-feet of green space (.8-acre) is twice the size of the addition to the Huot Center and would have a variety of immediate uses as well as offer capacity for future expansion of the school.

However, he conceded it was also the most expensive option.

Chad Montrose of Rist, Frost, Shumway Engineering P.C., estimated that to effectively level the hill that Bobotas Field now rests on would require removing 100,000 cubic yards of material from the site. He said that the cost would depend on how far the material would have to be transported and efforts to find nearby places and uses for fill are underway.

The alternative plan still under consideration, called "Option B," would move the football field eastward to where the west sideline would split the current uprights. Parking spaces for 100 vehicles would be provided between the school building and the football field. The bleachers, pres box and concession stand would be on the west sideline with lawn seating on the slope along the east sideline. Most of the hill and all of Bobotas Field would remain in place.

Montrose said that "Option B" would require removing only 20,000 cubic yards of material. Moreover, he said that both plans would require alteration of terrain permits from the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services and that the initial steps in the permitting process were underway.

Although both the School Board and Huot Planning Committee favor "Option A2", the committee agreed to seek bids for both plans.

Montrose told the committee that he anticipated the design work would be complete in March or April, the project would be put out to bid in April or May and construction would begin in May or June.