Sunnyvale awards $1.90 million contract to Hellas for Vineyard Park turf conversion and lighting
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Summary
The Town Council authorized the town manager to sign a design-build contract with Hellas Construction to convert Vineyard Park fields to synthetic turf and upgrade lighting. The 5-0 vote included discussion of soil and maintenance costs, lighting placement, fencing and safety measures.
The Sunnyvale Town Council voted 5-0 April 28 to authorize the town manager to enter a design-build contract with Hellas Construction for the Vineyard Park athletic field turf conversion and lighting upgrade at a contract amount of $1,904,198.
The contract covers design, a subsurface drainage system, synthetic turf installation and a new LED sports lighting system. Staff described Hellas as a cradle-to-grave design-build vendor that will provide warranties and ongoing customer service. Design is estimated at eight to 10 weeks and staff said construction could begin after the spring sports season ends, with a target move to construction in mid-to-late June if schedules align.
Council and staff repeatedly emphasized that the contract price excludes soil subgrade stabilization work. Carrie (project staff) and the town manager warned the council that geotechnical analysis is underway and the contract likely will be amended once subgrade conditions and any required stabilization are known. Councilmembers said they expect a future change order if soil work is required.
Council discussion and public comment focused on operations and safety. Staff estimated synthetic fields require different maintenance (not zero) and said the town will need additional equipment and staff; a ballpark annual maintenance estimate of roughly $200,000–$250,000 was discussed as an operational impact to the general and 4B funds. Residents and coaches asked about parking, fencing and whether lights would be moved to field edges for better footprint and flexibility; staff said the lighting plan uses six poles based on engineered light studies and places poles near the field edges rather than interior locations.
Parents raised concerns about turf heat and lightning. Staff said Hellas’s proposal includes a cooling treatment the vendor calls “Geo Cool” to reduce surface temperatures. The town manager said staff has scheduled a meeting with Perry Weather and other vendors this week to discuss lightning-detection systems for fields and will explore adding alerts and safety protocols for heat and lightning in partnership with sports associations.
The council approved the motion to authorize the town manager to execute the Hellas contract. Motion: authorize the town manager to enter into contract with Hellas Construction to complete the design and construction of the Vineyard Park turf conversion and lighting upgrade not to exceed $1,904,198. Mover: Dr. Vidro. Second: Mr. Allen. Vote: 5–0 (Mr. Finch and Mr. Eldridge absent).
Staff noted next steps include final geotechnical reports, a likely contract amendment for any required soil stabilization, 30/60/90 percent design check-ins and coordination on scheduling to limit conflicts with spring sports.
