Musco proposes memorial "mini pitch" between Canal Winchester elementary schools; funding secured, no cost to district

Canal Winchester Local School District board members heard a presentation Feb. 10 from Scott Weibel, a Musco Lighting representative, on a proposed donated “mini pitch” to be installed between the district’s two elementary schools on Gender Road. Weibel said funding for the project has been secured and that the installation would come “at no cost to the school.”

The project is meant as both a memorial and a teaching tool. Weibel said the pitch will honor two children, Demetrius and London, who were killed in an act of domestic violence and that the design will include signs and graphics intended to teach values. “By remembering their names, we show them honor and respect,” Weibel said during his presentation.

Board members and staff discussed logistics, family contact, liability and timeline. Board President Barnes told the board she and Weibel met recently and that she had “reached out to a family friend that is reaching out to the family to share,” indicating the district has begun efforts to notify the family of the memorial plan. The board did not take a formal vote on the presentation; the item was presented for approval of a submittal package and for next steps including permit applications.

Weibel provided technical details for the pitch and associated work. The concrete pad for the installation would measure 64 by 94 feet and be 5 inches thick with gravel underlayment, reinforcement mesh and a vapor barrier. The playing surface would be a 44-by-78-foot modular pad made by SnapSports; Weibel said that surface carries a 16-year guarantee against normal wear and tear. Musco materials for the installation carry a 10-year warranty, he added. Lighting would be controlled by Musco’s Control-Link system and can be scheduled and adjusted via an application.

Weibel said the layout includes nine signs: three for sponsors (Major League Soccer, the Major League Soccer Foundation and Musco Lighting, as he identified them) and four teaching signs that carry the project’s “FACT” acrostic (family and friends, attitude, character, truth). He also described a larger “Remember their names” sign listing the names of 15 children in Ohio who died in domestic violence over the previous year and said the design includes a QR code directing users to local resources and support information.

On timing, Weibel said Musco plans to begin work after permits are obtained and aims to pour the concrete pad in early June after school ends. After the pad cures for about 30 days, Weibel said Musco would deliver materials by semi and use volunteer teams and a project manager to install the pitch in an estimated three to five days. He said he is “in conversation with Nick” (district staff) about payment logistics for any contractors Musco hires to support the volunteer work.

Board members asked whether the district’s liability would change, whether seating or storage would be provided and how the family of the two children felt about the memorial. Weibel described a small storage area and seating on the site plan he provided; questions about liability and required approvals were discussed but no formal change to district liability was approved during the meeting. Board President Barnes reported she had a family contact attempt underway.

The board did not vote on the submittal at the meeting; Weibel asked the board to approve and sign the submittal package so the company could move forward with permit applications and production. No formal action authorizing construction or a district-funded contract was recorded in the meeting minutes for this item. The project, as described in the presentation, depends on city permitting and the completion of the submittal and payment arrangements with district staff.