Shawsheen Valley Tech Athletic Complex 

Background

In mid-2016, Shawsheen Valley Regional Vocation Technical High School in Billerica, Massachusetts, began plans for new additions to its athletic facilities. The cornerstone of the project would be a new football field with track and field facility, complete with artificial turf, new bleachers and lights.

The Challenge

The plans also included the construction of five new tennis courts next to a lighted artificial turf baseball facility with enough space in the outfield for a multipurpose rectangular field for soccer and lacrosse. The areas between the baseball and football field was multi-leveled and the architectural design called for a 10’ x 10’- switchback ramp to connect the two levels.

The Solution

Belgard® Commercial not only offered two high-quality products to meet the needs of Shippe Engineering and Shawsheen Valley Technical High School, but the company lent its in-depth experience to the complex project. Diamond Pro® Wall was specified for the segmental retaining wall (SRW) portion of the project, while London Cobble™ was chosen for the ramps.

The sturdy SRW is a larger sized unit, which is an ideal choice for projects of this scope. London Cobble was installed as a permeable paver system to help manage water runoff from the field above, designed to drain water though the paving system into the ground below.

The Result

The $7 million project was installed within a six-month period. Due to the combination of lighting, fencing, railing and ramps all working in tandem with the retaining wall and pavers, the complicated installation presented some challenges. However, the Belgard® Commercial team worked closely with the engineer, general contractor and installer to ensure the project went smoothly. Ultimately, the work was completed on time and successfully functions as designed.