Stadium repairs underway at JHU

Renovations to Homewood Stadium to be completed in January will provide its Homewood side with new aluminum bleachers and a new drainage system.

The repairs began on Oct. 1 and affect only the stands on the left side of the stadium, since the other side had repairs done years ago.

Currently, the Homewood side and the Schelle Pavilion side of the stadium differ from one another in the color of their cement and the styles of their bleachers, according to Director of Recreation and Facilities Bill Harrington.

The cement on Homewood side has the usual grayish cement coloring but will be converted to match the chalky "limestone" white of the Schelle Pavilion, he said.

The design of the drainage system is simple and involves coating the cement with a waterproof sealant that slopes it enough to get rid of standing water.

The water will then flow into holes drilled on the sides of the walls, allowing it to escape into the drains thereafter.

Standing water has been a problem in the seating area for a long time, and this is the first time major renovations have been applied to this side of the stadium since the late 1980s, according to Harrington.

The sealant will also protect the cement, which has been breaking up, or spalling, throughout the years.

This has led to cracks, which leak water into the locker rooms down below.

As well as making the seating area more aesthetically pleasing, the new bleachers will address another problem.

The old bleachers were only available in 15-ft. long segments. Therefore, two sets were often put side-by-side.

Their edges would not always meet perfectly and would occasionally shift, which would cause discomfort for a spectator seated in the middle.

Harrington does not believe the renovations will disrupt any scheduled activities.

Only the availability of seating at events will be limited. However, this is not predicted to pose a large problem.

Harrington is excited with the new renovations, which he feels are a long time overdue.

"The cement was unsightly... and in a constant state of repair," he said.

The need for the renovations has received special attention ever since it was announced that this school year's Commencement ceremony would be held at Homewood Stadium instead of Garland Field.

The renovations, which are estimated to cost about $350,000, are not expected to be slowed down by weather conditions.

Workers have been able to continue to work in the recent spate of rain showers by using high-pressure air blowers to clear out water.

According to Harrington, the bleachers can be installed even when it starts to snow, since all that is involved is screwing in bolts.

The coating of the bleachers, however, needs to be completed before the winter season begins, as snow coverage and temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit adversely affect the application of the sealant.

Men's Lacrosse Head Coach Dave Pietramala is pleased with the decision to go ahead with the renovations of the hometeam side of the stadium.

"They are long overdue," said Pietramala. "It's great that the administration sees the need to do it. We have a first class academic institution and our sports should be the same."

When asked about the inconvenience of the construction going on, Pietramala was unphased and did not find it an inconvenience.

For the sake of the renovations, he said, they'd be happy to move from the location.