Roughly two years after Kenai Peninsula Borough voters approved a $65.5 million bond project for key maintenance needs at Kenai Peninsula Borough School District schools, borough and district leadership gathered Friday to celebrate the completion of one of the bond’s projects — installation of a new turf field at Roger Steinbrecher Memorial Field at Seward High School.

Fields used to be replaced “once in a generation,” in the “old days with sod,” Borough Mayor Peter Micciche said.

“Now we, of course, have turf that we can count on for a very long time.”

The demand to replace Seward’s field — as well as its track — has been for many years heard “loud and clear” by the school district, KPBSD Superintendent Clayton Holland said.

There was a long path to getting the project included in the bond, seeing the bond passed and seeing the construction done locally, he said — “What a thrill to see this here today.”

Seward-based Metco Alaska was awarded a $3.3 million contract to replace the track and field at Seward High in April. The project outlined in the bond package described removing existing sod, excavating and backfilling the space and installing both drainage tile and a new turf field with sand and rubber infill. The artificial turf can sustain more use than natural field and is available for longer periods of the year.

Metco installed the field, but placement of the track is weather dependent, Purchasing & Contracting Director John Hedges said during a work session of the borough assembly earlier this month.

The contractors have been ready to complete the work, but Micciche said Friday that construction has been pushed to the spring because of the continuing rainy weather.

When that work is done, Holland said, the Seahawks can get back to hosting sporting events in facilities of which they can be proud.

“This field is more than a playing surface,” Seward High School Student Council President Otto Nipp said. “It’s a symbol of a new era of Seahawks football — an era where we have not gotten defeated yet. Hopefully we keep that streak going.”

That night, the Seahawks topped the Nikiski Bulldogs 36-14.

Also giving brief remarks were Seward Principal Dr. Henry Burns, school board member Virginia Morgan, assembly member Cindy Ecklund, Seward Mayor Sue McClure and Seward senior football player Jack Gardner.

Reach reporter Jake Dye at jacob.dye@peninsulaclarion.com.

Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion Center, from left: Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Superintendent Clayton Holland; Borough Mayor Peter Micciche; Seward High Student Council President Otto Nipp; and Seward High School Principal Dr. Henry Burns participate in a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new turf field at Roger Steinbrecher Memorial Field at Seward High School, Friday, Sept. 13.