A dedication ceremony for an extensive new hardscape at the Warner Unified School District, northeast San Diego County, Calif., was held November 14, 2018 on school grounds. The hardscape was donated by two specialty councils of the American Society of Concrete Contractors (ASCC), St. Louis, Mo.; the Decorative Concrete Council (DCC) and the Manufacturers’ Advisory Council (MAC). Members of the DCC and MAC, along with other ASCC members, donated all labor and materials for the project.
The installation was done in three phases over fall 2018. The old concrete was demolished. Sedimentary seat walls, a stage with valley mosaic, concrete paths and other enhanced paving, a wall designed to simulate Hot Springs Mountain, boulders, tribal mosaics, a stencil of the school mascot and resurfaced athletic courts were installed by volunteers as part of the $250,000 landscape rehab. Nine donated trees were planted around the stage and two precast concrete corn hole games were part of the project. The sprinkler system will be renovated over Christmas break.
Byron and Chris Klemaske, both with T.B. Penick & Sons, San Diego, led both the fund raising/donation portion of the project, as well as the construction management. Chris Klemaske is a past president of the DCC and Byron serves on the board. “One of the most gratifying experiences was getting the students involved in the construction process,” says Byron. “It helped the professional crew and gave the kids ownership of the project.”
“Nothing really centralized the changes taking place at Warner Schools like the ASCC project,” says superintendent/principal David MacLeod. “When I was told that a local couple was interested in doing a concrete project, I was all in. This project has created a center focus on our high school campus. It repaired or removed some old eye sores and left a piece of art. This happened at the perfect time, our 80th anniversary of the school and at a time when it really solidified that Warner was going through changes both physically and culturally.”
The Warner United School District was built in 1938 and has a long history. It is located in a picturesque setting in the northeast San Diego County. Due to its rural setting it is the hub of the community, according to MacLeod.
The ASCC is a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the capabilities of those who build with concrete, and to providing them a unified voice in the construction industry. Members include concrete contracting firms, manufacturers, suppliers and others interested in the concrete industry such as architects, specifiers and engineers. There are approximately 730 member companies in the United States and 12 foreign countries.
For more information, visit www.ascconline.org or call the ASCC office at (866) 788-2722.
