The construction of the long-awaited all-weather track at Orestimba High School’s Warrior Stadium gets one step closer to starting after Newman-Crows Landing Unified School District Board of Trustees approved a bid last Wednesday.
The more-than $2 million renovation, funded through Measure X, will focus on transforming the track surface into an artificial surface while replacing the current irrigation system with a new water system. Additionally, the project will change the shape of the stadium’s field from an oval to a rectangle, said Director of Maintenance and Operation Matt Vargas.
Vargas added that construction could begin as early as next week or by the end of this month at the latest.
The project is a part of a series of projects done across the district. In a February 2025 special board meeting, board members voted which eight projects to prioritize. The second phase of the Von Renner Elementary School was voted as the highest priority. The first part, completed in October 2024, built a new cafeteria and office building.
The second stage focuses on an overhaul to the site, including the demolition of nine classrooms and transforming it to portable classrooms, replacing the site’s asphalt, relocation of the climbing wall and potentially getting rid of a warehouse space. The renovation is expected to cost more than $10 million.
Despite it being considered a priority, other projects voted in that same meeting like the Bonita Elementary’s LED lights upgrade and Orestimba’s Sod project have already been completed. Vargas said proposals for Von Renner’s project were submitted to the Division of the State Architect (DSA) in January, but the district has yet to receive a response. The track project has already received approval from DSA despite its paperwork submitted afterwards.
Given its contrast between Orestimba’s project, Von Renner’s venture could “take twice as long” to get DSA’s approval, Vargas said. He added that the district should receive a response “within 30 days.”
“If this job took three months to [be approved] by DSA, the Von Renner job normally will take five to six months,” Vargas said.
Despite some other projects already completed, Von Renner’s project is still a priority for the district, said Superintendent Justin Pruett.
A special meeting was called to provide “an open window” to still host graduations during construction while ensuring the project is completed before the start of the next school year, Pruett said. If the bid approval was an agenda item for the April 20 meeting, the project could delay graduation and not meet its deadline.
“When you’re talking [about a] 110-day window for the construction project, if you back it up 10 days, now it’s beyond the point of when schools open and when the PE classes and the sports teams need the field,” Pruett said.
With construction aligning closely with commencements, Vargas said there will be a pathway for students to walk onto the field.
Five hours prior to Wednesday’s meeting, a bidding was held at the district’s office between eight contractors to work on the project. Merced-based TBS Contractors was awarded the project after offering the lowest bid.
Vargas said the bidding was initially set a week before Wednesday’s meeting, but the contractors needed more time to pre-qualify. A job walk of the track was held on March 26.
As construction begins, Pruett said the new track will be beneficial for local community members and Orestimba student-athletes, especially for the school’s track and field team.
“Our track [and field] program has grown over the last few years. It’s really gotten big,” he said. “We need a safe surface for them to compete and practice over.”
