SLIPPERY ROCK TWP — Construction on Slippery Rock High School’s new, $3.2 million football stadium is under way.

The project includes improved lighting, improved home bleachers, expanded visitors bleachers, an artificial turf field, a track, improved drainage and improved handicap accessibility.

The stadium, which was built in the 1960s, had poor lighting that was installed in the 1980s. The bleachers were installed in the 1970s, and had little handicap accessibility. The track area had trouble with pooling and flooding.

Greg Angerett, school board vice president and chairman of the board’s athletics committee, said the project is overdue.

“We didn’t realize how bad of shape it was in (until demolition started),” Angerett said.

The project, approved by the school board in April, was designed by J.T. Sauer and Associates of Burgettstown, and is being constructed by the Motz Group of Cincinnati. Construction began in mid June.

Mark Taylor, chairman of the school board’s operations committee, said the old light poles were leaning toward the field, creating a safety risk during periods of strong winds. He also said the bleachers would not meet current codes.

“Our primary need arose from safety,” Taylor said.

Angerett said the district wants the stadium not just to be seen as the place where the football team plays, but to be seen as a community facility.

Taylor agreed, saying that youth sports leagues will have access to the field, and community members will be able to use the track for walking and other activities.

“Our plan is to open the complex for the use of the entire community,” Taylor said.

Angerett said the old grass field got such heavy use from football games, youth sports and gym classes that it would get torn up. He said the only thing that really damages turf fields are UV rays from the sun.

For the first time, the stadium will have an actual track. Before this, the school’s track and field team would have to hold meets at Slippery Rock University.

“It will be nice to have our kids stay on campus,” Angerett said.

On June 30, the school board voted to move $2.7 million from the district’s general fund to its capital reserve fund to pay for the project. Paul Cessar, district business manager, said the reserve fund already had $800,000 in it.

In February, the district applied for a $200,000 grant from the NFL Foundation to help with the cost. Cessar said the foundation has not announced anyone who has received the grants yet.

Angerett said the athletic committee also is working on fundraising to help with the project. He noted that there is enough money in reserves to cover the project, but grants and fundraising can contribute and help replenish reserves.

Cessar said the district is optimistic that the stadium will be finished in time for the first home football game, which will be Sept. 12 against Grove City.

“We’re working toward that goal,” Cessar said.

Angerett said, if the project is not done, the game could be played at SRU or at Grove City.

The district also is renovating its high school auditorium, installing new seats and flooring while removing asbestos at a cost of $240,000. The contractor on the project, which also is being paid for with reserve funding, is Eichenlaub of Pittsburgh, and the flooring is coming from Butler Floor and Carpet.

The auditorium has about 700 seats. Taylor said that the old seats were at least 60 years old, and a third of them were inoperable.

Cessar said the project began in June and should be done before school begins.