County clears trees for Buckwalter multipurpose fields; Beaufort Pool project moves to design and bidding

Deputy Director Shane Stager updated the advisory board on construction and major facility projects, saying site clearing is complete at Buckwalter for four new multipurpose fields and work is underway on related groundwork. Stager said Scott Center construction continues and that an elevator certification was completed at Bluffton Center.

Stager told the board the Buckwalter multipurpose fields project is on an 18-month contract and that the department was "on target" for a completion timeline around the end of the next calendar year, though he cautioned weather could slow construction. He also reported that Beaufort Pool received additional funding through the county CIP and that a design team is preparing bid materials ahead of an RFP.

When asked about the approved funding level for Beaufort Pool, Stager said, "I think we're at $3.08." He explained that the original allocation was smaller and the project has since received additional appropriations, bringing the total into the multimillion-dollar range. The county intends to apply lessons learned from the Bluffton Pool project to the Beaufort Pool design, including equipment and HVAC considerations.

Board members asked whether all four Buckwalter fields would open simultaneously; staff said sequencing will depend on construction progress. The board also discussed the potential impacts of a rainy winter on schedule and the department flagged ongoing drainage work and restroom estimates for older sites such as Old Burton Wells.