Whether Schuylkill Haven Area School District Superintendent Dr. Shawn Fitzpatrick heard echoes of Kevin Costner proclaiming, “If we build it, they will come,” or if it was the lightbulb that went off in his head at a Giants vs. Eagles game two years ago, he pitched his vision of a sports performance center to the school board in the beginning of 2020.
He knew it might be a hard sell considering it was right at the beginning of the pandemic. But he put his sales and marketing hat on and made the pitch. Initially, they thought he was crazy. After acquiring an architectural plan from AEM Architects of Reading, he began to see interest growing among board and staff members.
The building is estimated to cost $5.5 million, but with the bond market at historically low rates, Fitzpatrick learned that by refinancing the district’s existing debt, he could not only finance the new building but save about $2 million. The savings was slated for installing new turf on the outdoor fields and installing a new heating, ventilation and air conditioning system in the elementary school.
“Everyone in the world is going to think we’re crazy,” Fitzpatrick admitted, “but everyone in the labor industry is going to be looking for work.”
Health network steps up
To offset some of the costs, Fitzpatrick reached out to Lehigh Valley Health Network for naming rights. It proved to be a great move. In addition to their initial contribution, the health network will provide funds to sustain the building for 12 years as well as provide a fitness trainer to the school.
The 30,000 square foot, two-story building will feature a large, turf playing surface. A divider curtain will provide the option of turning the space into two fields. Two batting cages will be installed for indoor softball or baseball practices. The first floor also includes a food service area, bathrooms, locker rooms and a weight room.
The second level features a track with a high-performance surface for running and walking. Slated for the future is a two-story rock-climbing wall at the entrance to the building.
Fitzpatrick said the climate-controlled building will be used during school hours for physical education classes, for after-school activities and will be open to the residents of the district at no charge on evenings and weekends.
“Our goal is to not only provide our students and community with access to this facility, but to ultimately offer rental hours in the latter part of evenings and weekends to generate income to support our sports programs,” Fitzpatrick said.
Keeping it local
Fitzpatrick encouraged the general contractor, ECI Construction of Dillsburg, to provide jobs for local industry.
“We asked our contractors to do everything they could to include local subcontractors in the project,” Fitzpatrick said. “They have been very cooperative.”
Local companies working on the project include Leibold Inc., Pottsville, HVAC Contractors; Spotts Brothers, Schuylkill Haven, roofing; Ebinger Ironworks, Schuylkill Haven, railings; Fidler Brothers, Friedensburg, excavation.
Construction versus COVID
Undertaking a major building project during a pandemic has certainly had its challenges. Originally slated to open in January, the project has been moved back about four months. Supply chain issues delayed steel for structural supports for 10 weeks. Roofing insulation and materials were almost impossible to attain.
“The price of materials jumped, but we got in in the nick of time,” Fitzpatrick said. “The cost of the building reflects some of the inflation, but if we were to do it now, it would probably have cost another million dollars.”
“We are so fortunate and so lucky that we had a mild December because we were able to scour the entire country and piece together enough insulation and roofing materials to put the roof together,” Fitzpatrick said.
Sharing the credit
Fitzpatrick proudly showed off the new sports center a few months prior to its opening. The superintendent easily gives credit to his board members, administrators, students, faculty and parents.
“The only reason I have the success that I have is because of the people around me,” Fitzpatrick said. “I just need to orchestrate sometimes.”
Fitzpatrick expects the sports center to open to students in the spring and to residents in the summer.
The superintendent has more plans for the district. He’d like to expand science, technology, education and math offerings and focus more on wellness and physical education. He would like to purchase bicycles and kayaks for the physical education program and offer rock climbing and archery as optional courses.
Keeping students involved, entertained and healthy while making education fun is at the top of Fitzpatrick’s list.
