Water permit delay means Aberdeen-Hoquiam game won’t be at Stewart Field

The Aberdeen High School Football team will likely be unable to open their season at home on Stewart Field.

Due to a missed water permit, the work to install turf at Stewart Field in Aberdeen will see a delay, moving completion beyond the first two games of the season, including the 117th Aberdeen-Hoquiam football game. That would force the games to be moved off the home field of Aberdeen.

The Aberdeen School District says that they were notified that a permit was not filed for the project, putting a delay on using the field until mid-September and past the first and possibly second home games of the season.

Aberdeen Football Coach Todd Bridge said this news was a blow to the team and the seniors looking to play these games at home.

Comments at the meeting spoke about the loss to Bobcat seniors playing on the field, as well as the absence of concession and ticket revenue for the school.

At their meeting on Tuesday, the Aberdeen School Board heard from the project manager and Superintendent Dr. Jeffrey Thake about the issue, and it was stated that the drainage permit was not filed because they were told by the City of Aberdeen that it would not be needed. 

As work continued, the district was notified that it was in fact required, and further work needed to be held off.

 

The permit in question prevents much of the work from continuing until it is finalized. That includes bringing some equipment into the area to do other work in the interim.

When asked if additional labor or other options could be made to accelerate the work prior to Labor Day weekend, the project manager said that due to the contract that would not be possible.

The two home games at risk of not being on the field include the 117th playing of the Aberdeen-Hoquiam game scheduled for September 2, and the Aberdeen-Montesano game on September 9.

At this time, alternate locations for the Aberdeen games against Hoquiam and Montesano have not been announced.

If the new timeline holds true, the Aberdeen Bobcats could possibly see actual home field advantage for the first conference game of the season, scheduled against Centralia on September 16.