Despite the lazy, hazy days of summer, the pace of construction at Concord Academy’s new Athletic Campus has not slowed down. In fact, because opening day is just six weeks away, the work is actually picking up.
Inside the field house, the team room is currently receiving a warm blanket of insulation in advance of the sheetrock work that will begin this week. Outside, the cupola is being framed and will shortly be raised into position on top of the roof.
The baseball diamond is complete and the grass fields for lacrosse, soccer, and field hockey have been in place for weeks now. That leaves the installation of the tennis courts next on the to-do list.
Planting has been proceeding throughout the summer. Sugar maple trees and hybrid elms dot the landscape and 27,000 tufts of switchgrass have been planted around the property.
The biggest challenge so far has been the weather.
With drought a concern across much of the country and rainfall totals down in New England, CA’s landscaping team, headed by Director of Operations Don Kingman and Grounds Supervisor Russ Gray, have been working overtime to make sure the lush, green grass stays that way.
“We’ve put on a growth regulator and a wetting agent to inhibit the root growth and conserve water,” says Kingman. A pond on the property has provided some much needed irrigation water during this time, but Kingman’s team has also been working on some long-term solutions to compensate for Mother Nature’s capriciousness Check back here for more updates as the countdown continues.
Click here for more photos of the athletic campus.