Beaver Local High School

Project Snapshot

PROJECT: Dant Clayton and NJPA Elevate the Fan Experience at Beaver Local High School
INSTITUTION: Beaver Local High School
LOCATION: East Liverpool, Ohio
COMPANY NAME: National Joint Powers Alliance
WEBSITE: www.www.njpacoop.org

Beaver Local High School

Aesthetic features and handicap accessibility were two benefits Beaver Local Schools were able to enjoy when working with Dant Clayton and NJPA. The district updating the bleachers to make them code complaint ensured that students of every ability would be able to enjoy football games. Dant Clayton and NJPA were able to help make this a reality on a tight deadline, without delaying the season.

THE CHALLENGE

In Ohio, Friday nights are made for high school football. When the current bleachers at Beaver Local High School, located in East Liverpool, Ohio, were deemed non-code compliant in mid-May 2015, due to the absence of ADA-approved seating and general deterioration, things looked glum for the Beavers. The team’s first home game was scheduled for Sept. 11, giving the school less than four months to come up with a seating solution. Because of the time needed for a traditional bid, it looked like the team would be unable to use its home field for the bulk of the season, and instead, rent space elsewhere for football games.

THE SOLUTION

It was through discovery talks with a Dant Clayton sales rep that treasurer/CFO of Beaver Local Schools, Stacy Williams, realized there was a viable option to not only meet the deadline, but also have the ability to purchase from a reputable company. A current member of National Joint Powers Alliance® (NJPA), but with no prior purchases, the school board was quick to agree with the procurement method as it was deemed to satisfy competitive process requirements, and thus placed an order for a 1,500-seat home side with a press box, and a nearly 900-seat visitor side. Each offered many safety and aesthetic features, such as slip-resistant decking, handicap forward seating and powder-coasted risers with closure panels.

IMPACT ON LEARNING

Beaver Local High SchoolIt is safe to say that the community is very pleased with the new venue, but perhaps none are as appreciative of the newly designed bleachers as one particular young man: a former Beaver Local High School football player who was paralyzed in a car accident his senior year.

“The elevated handicap-accessible bleachers were a real game-changer for our former student,” Williams says. “For the first time, he was able to watch the game from the front row without any obstructions thanks to the raised bleacher design. It was a wonderful game!”

Creating a solution for Beaver Local High School was about more than adhering to building codes and meeting a tight schedule; it was about finding a way to give all fans the full experience of the game.

NJPA members have access to Dant Clayton’s event seating solutions through contract 100814-DCT. Learn more: http://njpa.co/DantClayton.

Editor’s Review

Beaver Local High SchoolThe International Code Council (Document ICC 300-2007) 501.2 Inspection states: “All existing tiered seating SHALL be inspected and evaluated at least once a year by a qualified person for compliance with the provisions of this chapter….” Hazardous incidents on bleachers can be caused by older designs, incorrect manufacturing, incorrect installation or lack of routine maintenance. Fortunately, Beaver Local High School administrators were able to not only find a safe and reasonably priced replacement for their antiquated seating in a timely manner, but also did so in a way that allows for greater accessibility for spectators.

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

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