Stoneham Building Committee Advances Discus Net Fix, Tables Bollard and Dugout Decisions

STONEHAM — May 6, 2026 — Stoneham's School Building Committee advanced a $21,000 discus netting fix and shelved pricier stadium upgrades at its May 6 meeting. The committee voted unanimously to finalize pricing for a 40-foot extension of the existing discus cage netting after athletic staff reported two errant throws landed on an active track during a spring meet with more than 500 athletes on campus; rough estimates from subcontractor Emmanuel place the job between $18,000 and $22,000. The panel also approved Change Order 56 for $29,815.20, covering temporary lighting, stadium locker-room ceiling paint, and a band room door lock. Members rejected spending roughly $28,000 to replace exterior dimensional lettering after a school-side representative said "I just don't think it's bothering folks all that much." A proposed bollard-and-gate overhaul at the stadium entrance — sparked by a report that five-foot-deep bollards required multiple people to remove during a fire department emergency call — was sent back to staff with direction to consult the fire chief, with the committee eyeing a resolution before football season.