BLITZ ON TO FINISH STADIUMS WORKERS ON JOB AROUND CLOCK.

Byline: Eugene Tong Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - Earthmovers were busy Wednesday at both Canyon and Valencia high schools in the race to install bleachers and artificial turf before the start of football season in September.

``Right now, it's just bare ground,'' said Enrique Lopez, athletic director at Valencia High, where a new football stadium will be erected. ``They've been able to remove everything the first week - the turf, the concrete curb, the irrigation. Today they're removing the storage sheds. They took the goal posts out.''

The construction is part of a $13.6 million William S. Hart Union High School District district project to renovate athletic fields at four campuses as the first phase in a $45 million sports master plan. There will be artificial turf fields and all-weather tracks at all the schools, in addition to a new stadium at Valencia High and refurbished stadium for Canyon.

Watsonville-based Granite Construction has had workers on the job around the clock to get the 5,000-seat stadiums ready for the football season.

``They've torn everything apart,'' said Norman Estrada, assistant principal at Canyon High, whose stadium is getting new lights and additional bleachers. ``They've taken out most of the bleachers. They've taken out the press box to make it twice as big. ... Over ... two-three weeks, they've done all that work.''

But a protest by a bidder who lost the contract to Granite could disrupt the breakneck pace. Calabasas-based Valley Crest officials, claiming Granite undercut competitors by using a firm that could not provide the required brand of artificial turf, are demanding the district reopen bids, .

A ruling from the Hart board is expected in coming weeks.

Both Estrada and Lopez are optimistic the builders can bring in the projects on time, but they have back-up plans. Canyon High's home games might be played at the College of the Canyons stadium, while Valencia's might be at Alemany High School's field in Mission Hills.

``We are working on Plan B,'' Lopez said. ``We're not going to be left without a field. ... There is always doubt, of course, but we're looking forward to seeing everything finished.''

Meanwhile, with large stretches of fields out of commission, school officials have been busy relocating athletics and physical-education classes. Most affected were track teams, training at nearby schools and holding home meets at College of the Canyons.

``They were in the middle of their season,'' Estrada said. ``Luckily, we've been able to use (the college) for our track meets. And our middle schools have been gracious and have allowed our track teams to practice there.''

``I think if you do a little magic of scheduling, it all works out,'' Lopez said.

School officials believe the results will be well worth the effort.

``We'll be able to house more people and won't have to worry about the lights going out,'' said Canyon's Estrada, recalling last year's blackout during an anticipated match against cross-town rival Hart High School.

``It's almost like a dream come true to see it actually happening,'' said Lopez, who watched Valencia High parents and football boosters press for the stadium's construction over the past two years. ``It's great to see the warning fence going up. It's a sense of relief.''

Eugene Tong, [phone]

eugene.tong(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1) Workers in heavy equipment clear the way for a new football stadium with artificial turf at Valencia High School. They are racing to make a September deadline.

(2) ``They've been able to remove everything the first week,'' Enrique Lopez, athletic director at Valencia High, said Wednesday about workers clearing the way for a new football stadium.

Tom Mendosa/Staff Photographer