Question: What are they building in the McKinley High School athletic field and adjoining empty lot at Pensacola and Kapiolani? They seem to be knocking down the tennis courts and blocking off the old football practice field and track run.
Answer: The continuing work will result in McKinley having not only the "premier" high school softball stadium on Oahu and a new girl’s locker room, but new tennis courts, track and field, and a multisport football/soccer field.
The total cost when all the projects are completed will be nearly $12 million. The targeted completion date is January.
The major makeover of the school’s athletic complex began in 2012 with the softball stadium and locker room, built to meet requirements of the Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act (formerly Title IX) to provide equitable athletic facilities for girls and boys.
The two facilities were targeted to open in 2013 but didn’t get completed until last year.
Still, after construction was done, neither facility could open until February because of problems with a water main in the stadium and a fire alarm in the locker room.
But some of the problems did not have simple solutions, said Brent Suyama, a spokesman for the state Department of Education.
The locker room project was delayed because of "necessary changes" to the underground fire alarm conduit due to obstructions, building drainage and arrangement of the gas system; the installation and reinspection by the Honolulu Fire Department of a smoke detector required at the building’s fire control panel; as well as the elimination of a solar water-heating system, which resulted in delays in plan approval by the city building department, he said.
The locker room, which initially was estimated to cost $1.5 million, ended up costing $1.757 million.
Meanwhile, during work on the softball stadium, waterlines were found to be "significantly damaged and corroded," and the main campus water meter was undersized in delivering the flow and pressure required to obtain a certificate of occupancy for the stadium bleachers, Suyama said.
"There were 10 changes for the softball stadium project due to unforeseen conditions or design improvements," he said. "Nearly all changes were associated with repair or revision to water utilities or relocation of underground power lines due to obstruction."
A successful flow test of the improved water supply and hydrant system was made Oct. 1, but the DOE didn’t receive the required certificates of occupancy and completion from the city until Jan. 7, Suyama said.
The stadium, initially estimated to cost about $2.8 million, had a final price tag of $3.292 million.
It is not the first public school softball stadium in the state (there is one on Kauai), but it "is the premier stadium on Oahu," Suyama said.
Athletic Field
Currently under construction is the McKinley Synthetic Track and Field Project, at the Pensacola Street side of the campus, which includes an eight-lane high school competition track, a synthetic-surface sports venue and a synthetic multisport football/soccer field.
The old tennis courts are being replaced by new competition-size courts, and new grass will be put in between the west end of the new track and the new softball stadium.
There will be portable bleachers for use with the track and field venue and tennis courts.
The total cost for all these projects is $6.9 million.
Mahalo
To a Manoa resident who found my car key that must have dropped from my pocket as I dragged in my blue recycling bin. He or she called the car dealership noted on the key ring, and the dealership then called me. I hadn’t even noticed it was missing. Thank you to whoever went above and beyond to get the key returned to me. — Sandra in Manoa
Write to "Kokua Line" at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
