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District reports progress on West High rebuild, Glendale fields and Wasatch tunnel; community questions remain on lights and fundraising
Summary
Salt Lake City School District staff updated the board on temporary athletic fields and rebuild work at West High and other sites, saying fields and stadium work are underway, Wasatch Tunnel work is nearly complete and fundraising conversations continue; board members pressed for more clarity on lighting, timelines and fundraising targets.
Salt Lake City School District staff told the school board Sept. 16 that construction is underway for temporary athletic fields tied to the West High rebuild and that the Wasatch tunnel project is roughly 90% complete, while board members pushed for clearer timelines, fundraising totals and community notification about field lighting.
District staff member Isaac said the district and partners have started work on temporary fields for West High and have advanced the Glendale track-and-field and partnership work for baseball and softball fields. "We actually worked with SLAF to reach out to the community. We had a community meeting a couple of weeks ago to show them the plans and get their input," Isaac said.
Board members said they appreciated the details but sought more specifics about lighting, costs and how the district will notify neighbors. Board member Charlotte Fife Jefferson asked whether the field lights proposed for Glendale would be dimmable; Isaac replied: "It it's not as simple as that, but they're they are directional LEDs, and there is a way to, dim them a little bit. But there are certain ratings that it's required to the candle measurement on the field is required for the play." He added the district plans to run tests after dark and to communicate those test times to nearby residents.
Why it matters: temporary and permanent athletic facilities are a frequent public focus during school rebuilds because of neighborhood impacts (traffic, light and hours of use) and because fund-raising and capital choices affect budgets for other projects.
What the board heard and requested - Timeline and progress: Isaac said work to prepare the infields will allow spring baseball next year and that the Wasatch tunnel work is about "90% complete," with only exterior cleanup and community-requested adjustments remaining. He told the board meetings with the city and other officials were scheduled for the 23rd and 30th of the month to review community concerns. - Fundraising and partners: Isaac said the Salt Lake Education Foundation (SLAF) and an ad hoc committee had begun fundraising conversations. He said some discussion had suggested a target in the "$600,000 range" for part of the Glendale track work, but that no firm dollar amount had been set and that the foundation and ad hoc committee were still awaiting final drawings and cost estimates. - Lights and mitigation: Staff described the planned lights as directional LED fixtures with limited dimming capability and noted required lighting levels for safe play. Staff said they would set standard field lighting times and enforce them, and would perform directional tests after dark so neighbors see the actual effect. - Community participation and communication: Board members asked how the district will gather and publish community feedback. Isaac said the district posts bond and project updates on its website, holds public open houses and can add meetings if needed. Jason, a district staff member who manages construction inquiries, told the board the district maintains an email address for construction questions: questions@slcschools.org.
Background and context - Partner groups referenced at the meeting included the Salt Lake Education Foundation (SLAF) and the Ron McBride Foundation; staff said SLAF had formed an ad hoc committee to approach potential sponsors. - Board members noted prior disagreements about Roslyn/Rosslyn Heights lighting and urged lessons learned from earlier projects be applied.
Board direction and next steps - Staff said they will provide final drawings and cost estimates to the SLAF and ad hoc committee for fundraising. They also said they would conduct directional lighting tests after dark and notify neighbors. - The district scheduled meetings with the city and elected officials on Sept. 23 and 30 to review tunnel concerns and community input and will report back to the board after those meetings.
Ending District staff framed the current work as part of a multi-year rebuild effort and said they will continue to provide updated drawings, more precise cost estimates and follow-up outreach. Board members asked staff to return with clearer fundraising totals, a schedule of community meetings and lighting test results so the board and public can evaluate next steps.
