Completion in Sight for Genesee Community College Athletic Upgrades

BATAVIA, NY (11/13/2009)(readMedia)-- Completion dates are in sight for the new soccer/lacrosse field, as well as upgrades in the Batavia Campus' Anthony T. Zambito Gymnasium and locker rooms, Vice President for Finance and Operations Kevin P. Hamilton reported to the Board of Trustees Monday evening.

The artificial turf has been installed in the new soccer/lacrosse field, located at the west end of the Batavia Campus parking lot, Mr. Hamilton reported. The blacktop area and seeding of the grassy area is complete. Work remains on the shut-off water valve and fencing. The field will be available for springtime use, Mr. Hamilton said.

Work is also progressing well in the Zambito Gymnasium. The new floor is "curing" until January 24. Speakers will be installed later this week and the sound system full operable by the second week of December. Bleachers will also be fully installed by the second week of December, Mr. Hamilton said. Rough plumbing, ventilation, electric, and duct work in the third floor locker room will be completed by the middle of this month, and most construction completed by January 1. The College expects lockers to be installed by mid-January.

These are the first upgrades to the athletic facilities since the Batavia Campus was built in the early 1970s, Mr. Hamilton said. "These facilities will serve our students for the next generation," he told trustees. "We are looking forward to the completion of the project on time and on budget."

In other business, the Board of Trustees:

• Authorized President Stuart Steiner to retain the architectural firm of Joy, McCoola and Zilch to create architectural drawings and specifications for the College's new art gallery. Joy, McCoola and Zilch, based in Glens Falls, NY, is known throughout the nation for higher education architecture. Genesee's Conable Technology Building, designed by JMZ, won an architectural award several years after it was constructed.
• Authorized Vice President for Finance and Operations Kevin Hamilton to issue a $25,000 change order for redesigned electric service to the new soccer/lacrosse field. Under the change order, electric service would be bundled with other campus electric service, rather than coming from the road as originally planned. By using existing campus service, Genesee will obtain electricity at a lower rate.
• Heard Trustee Charles R. Ruffino report that he recently attended the annual conference of the Association of Community College Trustees. Mr. Ruffino provided trustees with information about the federal government's $12 billion community college initiative that was presented at the conference. Mr. Ruffino also noted that California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger addressed the conference. Gov. Schwarzenegger, a community college graduate himself spoke eloquently about the role of community colleges, Mr. Ruffino said.
• Heard Vice President for Human Resources and Planning Larene Hoelcle report that Genesee is well-prepared to deal with cases of the H1N1 virus. Dr. Hoelcle told trustees that a College-wide H1N1 Planning Committee has been educating the college community about flu prevention and flu safety for the last three months through posters, table tents, e-mail reminders, and educational presentations. The College also has mounted hand sanitizers across campus and college nurses have created over 70 flu kits for distribution as "care packages" for students who become ill.

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