Skip to content

SD61 looking to have Oak Bay High rugby field repaired

District issues second request for bids to solve drainage issues
15474308_web1_190208-OBN-OBHSfield_1
(File Photo)

The Greater Victoria School District hopes to have a new field installed at Oak Bay Secondary in time for September.

The District has released a request for proposals on the BC Bids website to have the rugby field repaired. The timeline attached to the bid shows has the project lasting from July 2 to Aug. 23.

Due to drainage issues, the field has remained largely unused.

This is the second time the district has put out a request for bids to have the field fixed. Chuck Morris, SD61’s director of facility services, said the field could not be completed last fall because when the district put out the first request for bids, there were no responses. Morris said at that time contractors were too busy with other projects.

“Getting this [request for bids] out now will allow contractors an opportunity to bid before their summer workload builds up,” Morris said.

READ MORE: Oak Bay High rugby pitch mired in red tape

If an acceptable proposal is received and the project proceeds on time, the pitch still likely won’t see action for a while.

“The unfortunate issue would still be that grass does take some time to be ready for use,” said Mark Walsh, SD61 secretary treasurer. “We would anticipate that it wouldn’t be available until the spring seasons of athletics in 2020.”

Both Walsh and Morris cited the wrong type of base soil as being one of the primary culprits causing the drainage problems. Morris noted the soil has too much clay mixed with the wrong type of sand. The ground compacted, which doesn’t allow the field to drain properly. In order to fix the field, the contractor will have to remove all of the grass and soil base, and then replace the layers.

Walsh said the project will likely cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, but did not have an exact figure at this time.



jesse.laufer@oakbaynews.com

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter