LA VERNE – Bonita Unified School District will begin major renovations to the Bonita High School stadium on Aug. 8, as a part of the final project funded under the $97.1 million Measure AB bond.

The $7.2 million renovation, expected to be completed by June 2019, received a generous contribution of $437,000 from the City of La Verne during Bonita Unified’s Board of Education meeting on Aug. 1.

Stadium renovations will relocate the Bonita Bearcats home side to the south end of the field, replace wooden benches with aluminum bleachers, upgrade accessibility and update the turf and restroom. The site also will receive a new restroom building, press box and pole vault area.

“Bonita High School’s stadium renovation will provide our students with safe, state-of-the-art athletic-facilities, as well as provide a venue that our Bonita Unified families and local community can enjoy,” Bonita Unified Superintendent Carl J. Coles said. “I want to thank the community and the City of La Verne for their support and our staff for their hard work to ensure the success of the project.”

The 3,026-seat stadium will be upgraded by Telacu Construction Management, Inc. The local contractor will begin preparing the space on Aug. 8. Football, soccer, field hockey, track and field, and band practices and events will be hosted at alternate sites during construction.

“We want to provide our students with every opportunity to succeed and flourish in their talents, and ensure they have access to quality facilities that enhance their academic, artistic and athletic learning,” Bonita Unified Board of Education President Chuck Coyne said.

Measure AB was overwhelmingly passed by the community in November 2008.

Previous projects include the Bonita Center for the Arts, a gym expansion, all-weather track and stadium modernization at San Dimas High School, gym modernization at Bonita High School, Ramona Middle School’s shade and lunch shelter, District-wide solar panels and new gymnasiums at Ramona and Lone Hill middle schools. The bond funds also cover the District office renovation that is undergoing construction.

“Seeing the journey from the time Bonita High School was built until now is amazing,” City of La Verne Mayor Don Kendrick said. “The partnership between Bonita Unified School District and the City of La Verne is what this is all about, and it’s a continual question of how we can be better together.”

PHOTO CAPTIONS

BONITA_BHS_STADIUM_BOARD_1: Bonita Unified School District received a generous contribution of $437,000 from the City of La Verne during the District’s Board of Education meeting on Aug. 1 for the Bonita High School stadium renovation. Pictured are, from left, Board of Education President Chuck Coyne, Board member Glenn Creiman, City of La Verne Councilmember Tim Hepburn, Bonita High School band student Joshua Brito, Board member Diane Koach, Bonita High student-athlete Sami Riggs, Board Vice President Patti Latourelle, Bonita High student-athlete Tyler Corthell, Superintendent Carl J. Coles, Bonita High student-athlete Kendall Caron, Bonita High School Principal Kenny Ritchie, Bonita High student-athlete Abbi Jackson, Bonita High student-athlete JP Andrade, City of La Verne Mayor Don Kendrick and Board member Matthew Lyons.

BONITA_BHS_STADIUM_2: Bonita Unified School District will begin major renovations to the Bonita High School stadium on Aug. 8, as part of the final project funded under the $97.1 million Measure AB bond. The $7.2 million renovation is expected to be completed by June 2019.