Gnadenhutten, Ohio - Indian Valley’s superintendent says it will be a while yet before work begins on the district’s new football stadium and athletic facility.

Ira Wentworth says the project is slowly moving forward, although they still have to finalize a few items before construction can begin.

“The first order of business is to finalize the purchase of the land, so the surveyors have been working on completing the necessary survey and property descriptions to file at the courthouse, and then we’ll be able to complete that transaction,” he says. “Other steps that have taken place so far include our treasurer is working with the bond counsel to do some bond anticipation notes so that we could start the process here this summer.”

Voters approved a 28-year bond issue to fund the approximately $7 million project last November, but Wentworth says there’s not much more they can do at this point until they get the funding in place.

“Tax collections don’t start until 2020 but the bond anticipation notes will help us get started in the summer of 2019 here, so that’s sort of where we’re at right now,” he says.

Wentworth says the board also seeking a qualified construction management firm to oversee the project.

“The Board of Education has advertised a request for qualifications for construction management firms, and so any of the construction management groups that want to sort have a chance to work on this project, those qualifications are due to the board by the end of January, and then the Board of Education will review those firms and make a selection from those,” he says.

Wentworth says once that happens, they’ll start engaging with stakeholders and developing a final plan with all of the amenities and features they previously outlined to voters. 

“The facility, again, will service more than just football,” he says. “We’ll have a turf field, but the track around it is going to be key, and then we’ll have a multi-purpose building to be able to house some exercise equipment, some workout equipment, and have an indoor workout space for our student groups.”

Wentworth says the construction won’t be done in time for the fall football season, although it could potentially wrap up before track gets started next spring. 

STACEY CARMANY, TUSCO TV