June 2025- A Message from Board President Dan Rice

June 5, 2025

Greetings, Bulldog Community:

A lot has happened since our last update. The West York Area School Board has continued to evaluate and refine our plans for the District’s athletic facilities based on community input, financial realities, and our unwavering commitment to providing high-quality, accessible opportunities for students.

After careful consideration, the Board has decided to table all proposed work at Trimmer Elementary School. This portion of the project had included relocating the Girls’ Softball field to the Trimmer campus, along with associated additions such as parking, field lighting, and a concessions/restroom facility. We heard clearly from many community members who asked us to rethink this aspect of the plan, and we are grateful for the time, thoughtfulness, and care that stakeholders brought to those conversations. Your voices made a difference.

Trimmer's only remaining item under consideration is an alternate bid for improvements to the Parent Pick-Up and Drop-Off line. This adjustment is intended to significantly reduce traffic congestion along Brenda Road during arrival and dismissal, making the area safer and more efficient for families and staff.

Since the plans for the main campus still include a multi-use field at the current softball/field hockey location, we needed to identify a new location for Girls’ Softball. After a thorough review, we have chosen the soccer field in front of the Middle School, at the intersection of Bannister Street and Adams Street. This site allows us to utilize existing Middle School restrooms, accommodate enhanced parking, and create greater connectivity within our athletic complex.  The teams currently using this field for practice or games will be relocated to either the field currently being used by soccer/lacrosse or the multi-use field. 

Importantly, by removing the Trimmer portion of the project, the overall cost estimate has been reduced from the original projection of approximately $20 million. While construction costs continue to rise across the industry, current projections indicate that the total investment for this project will still be lower than initially anticipated. Final costs will be determined once bidding documents are approved and bids are received, which is expected to occur in early fall.

At this time, the key features of the updated plan still include:

• Artificial turf surfaces for both the main stadium and the new multi-purpose field
   
• Lighting for the stadium, the multi-use field, and the practice and soccer/lacrosse fields along Adams Street
   
• Enhanced ADA accessibility throughout the stadium area, including improved seating, parking, and facility access
   
• Improved traffic flow and parking near the Middle School
   
• Continued focus on providing facilities that are inclusive, functional, and aligned with the needs of all West York Bulldogs
   

The revised plans for the Main Campus are available on the District website HERE for your review.

Looking ahead, we anticipate sending the project out to public bid during the summer of 2025. The Board plans to review bids and select a contractor early in the 2025–2026 school year, with construction expected to begin later in the fall of 2025, following the conclusion of the fall sports season. The “next steps” to the project timeline are linked HERE, with a projected completion date of fall 2027.

We thank all of you—parents, staff, students, and community members—for your continued engagement, feedback, and flexibility. Our goal remains the same: to honor West York’s proud traditions while ensuring the facilities we provide meet the evolving needs of our students and community.

Sincerely,
Dan Rice
President, West York Area School Board