The renovations to Lady Colonel Diamond, totaling nearly $80,000, including the additions of a press box and concession stand will be completed by the beginning of the 2006 softball season, assistant vice president for administration Mike Davis said.The renovations to the softball field include the addition of a fence enclosing the facility to the outfield wall, the redoing of the infield, a drainage system and the reworking of the warning track.

Head softball coach Jenny Parsons said many of the renovations were made for safety purposes.

“They needed to be improved,” Parsons said. “The infield was too old and sandy. The mud in front of the dugout was not safe. I’m putting new warning track material down because the old gravel wasn’t too safe. The green fence to control admission and the concession (stand) went up because it was a necessity.”

Parsons said former Lady Colonels head softball coach Phyllis Guedry wanted to get the field replaced. Parsons, Guedry and the softball booster club had a list of changes for the softball field they presented to director of athletics Rob Bernardi, associate athletics director/senior women’s administrator Louise Bonin and vice president for institutional advancement David Boudreaux.

“Dr. Boudreaux has been awesome in trying to help us,” Parsons said. “We do a lot of fundraising, and he helped us with that. He helped us get the gator (and) he helped us get the infield. He’s been a big part of this, and my parents have been a big part of this.”

Davis said the athletic department did not ask for a press box in its plans for the softball field, but it was included in the athletic department’s plan in the next few years. Davis said when looking at the situation, it was decided to construct it now with the concession stand.

“The recommendation was made to see if we could do both at the same time, so that’s when Stan Silvarri (assistant maintenance manager) and William Steib (University architect) came up with the design to put both buildings together with the press box on top of the concession stand,” Davis said.

Davis said the total cost of the press box and concession stand including all wood, material and equipment going in is $31,343. The funds were obtained from auxiliary services and carpenters in maintenance are constructing the facility. He said the University took bids on the construction materials, and the material had been in a warehouse until the construction started.

Executive director of auxiliary services Brenda Haskins said she started working on the concession stand about a year and a half ago. She said due to Lafourche Parish and Louisiana health codes, heated items could not be served in the open. Haskins budgeted money for the 2004-2005 fiscal year from the auxiliary services budget to build a concession stand.

“They (the softball team) want to draw fans in, and part of that game experience is eating peanuts and smelling them,” Haskins said. “I wanted that type of experience for our softball ladies. It’s going to be the nicest concession stand we have on campus.”

Included in the concession stand will be a sno-cone machine, peanut warmer, refrigerator, popcorn machine, nacho warmer, chili dog warmer and insulated holding cabinet.

The cost for Haskin’s equipment totals below $10,000, and her equipment order is in purchasing awaiting bids. She expects to receive the majority of her equipment by January and will be ready for the February home opener.

Sodexho, the University’s food service vendor, will supply and run the concession stand. Haskins said the concession stand profit will go to Sodexho.

Davis said the press box will be enclosed and will allow for more space for fans to sit in the bleachers. Parsons said the press box will be located behind the bleachers. In order to enter the press box, one must climb steps in the bleachers to a metal patio behind the bleachers and enter the facility from the side. Davis said the concession stand will be air-conditioned, but not the press box.

Davis said Triple-B Fence Company of Vacherie installed the green fence enclosing the exterior of the stadium to the outfield wall at a cost of $8,415. Auxiliary services provided the funds for the fence, which Parsons said would help with admission to the facility.

According to Davis, F.A. Dubis Construction of Donaldsonville completed the drainage work including elevating the dugouts with concrete, placing a concrete pad in front of the dugout with Astroturf on top and underground culverts at a cost of $21,626. He said the grounds department paid for the project.

Drains were placed near the dugout and by the on-deck circle, along with a trench drain in the dugout. Parsons said catch basin drains can be found under all three sets of bleachers, and they all run to the central pipe found along Ardoyne Drive.

Following the drainage work, Parsons and her assistants put Bermuda grass (sod) around the infield near the backstop and dugouts.

Davis said Coastal Turf and Ornamental of Thibodaux completed the work on the infield for $14,999.99. Davis said money from outside sources donated to the Nicholls State University Foundation paid for the project.

Parsons said the infield involved removing a layer of clay/sand surface and placing six inches of clay/sand surface.

“They laid six inches of clay/sand mixture,” Parsons said. “They gutted a one-percent grade out for the mound for drainage. Then they laid a soil (conditioner) about one half inches thick on top of that and rolled up and watered it to make it firm.”

Parsons also added new material to the warning track. It was purchased from Crimson Stone of Cottondale, Ala., at a price of $2,925.60. Davis said Parsons raised the money for the warning track.