SDR board approves upgrades to tracks and tennis courts

Approvals of some six-digit purchases to benefit students both physically and mentally were among the highlights of Monday’s meeting of School District of Rhinelander school board, held at Rhinelander High School’s Superior Diesel Advanced Learning Center.

Both the outdoor track that circles the football field and the indoor track within the Hodag Dome have been in need of attention — the outdoor track after 11 years of use, and the indoor one after damage from the dome’s collapse a year ago.

Believing that refinishing the outdoor track with a polyurethane primer coating and structural spray will add seven to 10 years to the track’s life, the board agreed to go with Upper Midwest Athletic Construction’s bid of $118,162 to do the job this summer. That price includes a three-year warranty.

“We’re just trying to make sure we get the best life out of this track possible,” observed superintendent of schools Eric Burke.

There will be more drastic work on the track inside the Hodag Dome, which will be removed and replaced with a poured polyurethane track designed for heavy indoor traffic. The board approved the $288,209 quote from Upper Midwest Athletic Construction, which includes removal of the current track and a 10-year warranty. After insurance is applied, the net cost to the district will be $31,444, with funds coming from its referendum interest earnings.

“The track we have in there right now is kind of an entry-level track,” observed Patrick Kegley, supervisor of buildings and grounds. “It’s just not made to hold up for what kind of use we have in the Dome. This (new) track ...  is significantly better; it's a gel-core base versus just regular polyurethane. It’s considered one of the better running tracks in the country. It’s one of the most green products for a track there is out there right now, so it’s very environmentally friendly.”

“This track is the path to the tennis courts,” pointed out board member Mike Roberts. “It gets the chairs set up on it for any other event that might be on the turf, graduation; I mean, all of the extra foot traffic in there is on the track. So I think we’re money ahead by spending this $31,000 to upgrade the surface.” 

The tennis courts in the Hodag Dome will also be patched and recoated, with Upper Midwest Athletic Construction’s quote of $47,870 selected by the board. 

At that price, there’s no cost to the district. “It was covered (by insurance) as part of the damage done by the dome deflation,” explained Burke.

The time has come for the annual rotation and replacement of students’ Chromebooks. This year 560 will be purchased for the 2026-27 school year, along with Google Education licenses, from low bidder BDJ Tech of El Segundo, Calif. Roberts noted that the $171,920 cost is funded by the district’s technology budget.

“The old Chromebooks will be used for parts where possible and sold to a reseller if the price warrants it,” Burke explained in a memo. “Typically we do not receive much money for the old devices so it is more advantageous to scavenge them for parts or to use the best ones as spares.”

Ardith Carlton may be reached at [email protected].