Council Rock Board Awards Contracts For South Stadium Project

NEWTOWN, PA — After a 20-year wait, Council Rock High School South will be getting a stadium.

On Thursday night, before a standing-room-only crowd, the school board voted 9-0 to award contracts to design and manage the $7 million phase two stadium renovation project at the Northampton Township high school.

Boyle Construction will be paid $313,700 to manage the construction of the project, while Marotta/Main will receive $540,000 to design the new 3,000-seat stadium with bathrooms, concession stand and press box.

The work will complete the stadium project, which was started in 2021 with the phase one installation of a turf field, an outdoor track, and bleachers.

The completed stadium will give South - the only high school in Bucks County not to have a stadium - its own place to play sports, host band competitions, and hold outdoor graduation ceremonies.

Since the school opened in 2002, its sports teams have had to travel to a rival field - Council Rock North in Newtown - to play their home games.

Board members learned last week that the project can be incorporated into the district's debt service and won’t result in a tax increase, which the board’s business manager, Andy Rapp, restated at Thursday night’s meeting.

“I’m excited that it’s happening,” said Northampton board member Joseph Hidalgo, who commented on the outpouring of support for the project from the community. “I’m proud of our community. I’m proud of this board. To me, this is one of the most important votes I’ve taken because it strikes at the heart of the community ... It's a testament to what we can do as a community when we come together.”

"As evidenced by the turnout at this meeting and all the communications we have received, this is something the community very much desires," added Upper Makefield board member Cheryl Rickert. "I also deeply value the role a stadium plays in building school spirit, strengthening community, enhancing athletics and extracurriculars and the pride that goes with representing your school. It has been made clear by the administration that we can, from a financial perspective, complete the stadium without significant compromise to future essential projects."

While board members voted unanimously in support of the project, some took issue with rumors and misinformation that used renovations to the Chancellor Center and the issue of parity between North and South as political footballs in making their case for a stadium.

"Ultimately, the main factor in my decision is based on the fact that this is a way to positively impact kids. And isn't that what we're all here to do?" asked board member Tracey Osecki. "At last Thursday's finance meeting, I was reassured that the district could financially support the stadium proposal. We have a responsibility to both the district and the taxpayers and we have to be aware of costly renovations to both high schools in the future. I will be voting yes for the stadium today."

Osecki, however, defended her advocacy for the estimated $18 million Chancellor Center renovation project saying board members are all regionally elected and have a responsibility to those issues and residents that affect their region.

In addition, Osecki said the Chancellor Center renovation had been discussed at length for many years. "The renovations to the Chancellor Center are now urgent due to the deteriorating foundational structure. Previous boards delayed putting any money into the building for as long as they could, focused on student buildings as it should. Unfortunately, that made Chancellor more urgent."

She added, "The Chancellor Center and the stadium have nothing to do with each other except for the fact that they are both currently being budgeted for. It's absolutely a mistake to pit them against each other. The Chancellor Center is a full-time office space for more than 75 people who oversee programming for 10,000 students. We are lucky to have it and we have a responsibility to our community to maintain it."

The unanimous vote by the board brought applause and loud cheers from the crowd of parents, coaches, players, students, and residents who had come to advocate for the stadium.

Among them was Maureen Hickey, who read a letter from legendary Council Rock football coach Walt Snyder in favor of the new stadium.

“When I heard CR South was trying to get a stadium, I was 100 percent in favor of this endeavor,” she read from the letter. “Having a home stadium builds a community. It is a place where people will gather to cheer on their home team. Every sports team wants that home-field advantage. A home field gives the team confidence and instills a sense of pride. The feeling of playing before a home crowd at your own school is one that cannot be duplicated.”

Parent Lisa Housel presented the board with a petition signed by more than 1,000 district residents supporting the completion of the stadium project.

“As was stated at the finance meeting, we can afford this. We are the only school in Bucks County without its own stadium. This is embarrassing and beneath the high standard that Council Rock sets,” she said. “Band members, football players, soccer players, cheerleaders will all get the respect they deserve and not feel like they have to live out of a suitcase when they are going over to their rival North’s stadium. Give us something to celebrate for years to come and do the right thing for the kids.”