By David Vitrano

L’Observateur

LUTCHER – The St. James Parish School Board began looking at plans for rebuilding the stadium at Lutcher High School, which was damaged by fire last month.

Board architect Perry Segura presented the Building Committee with plans for three different styles of stadiums the firm has constructed recently in the state.

The plan that seemed to gain the most momentum at Monday’s meeting was for a pre-fabricated solid aluminum stadium because it could be constructed more quickly and cheaply than a steel stadium and would last longer, as well.

Before any plans can be set, however, a number of issues will have to be worked out.

District administrators will have to meet with the insurance company to determine what expenses they will cover.

According to Lutcher football coach Tim Detillier, he was told by the fire marshal that while the insurance company will most likely want to repair the existing stadium, the support beam is compromised and he would not grant occupancy until the beam is replaced.

Segura planned to meet with Detillier as well as St. James High School football coach Rick Gaille — the stadium at St. James will also be renovated or replaced to keep a sense of parity between the two schools — to gain their insight into what they need from their stadiums.

“We really can’t design a stadium without your input,” said Segura.

Additionally, the coaches were to visit the stadium at Zachary to see what a new, pre-fabricated aluminum stadium looks like.

Ultimately, the meeting was merely to set in motion the plans to renovate or replace the stadiums, and Superintendent Alonzo Luce asked the architects to come up with figures and time frames for all the different ideas this week.

Among the issues the firm will be working out this week are the price to fix the existing structure, the price of a pre-fabricated aluminum stadium and the price of a concrete stadium as well as the time frames for each.

The plans will be presented at the next regular School Board meeting, which was moved from Tuesday, Dec. 14, to Friday, Dec. 10, at 6 p.m. to accommodate a scheduling conflict.

“The issue is whether we’ll be able to tear down and rebuild (before the start of the next football season,” said Board Vice President George Nassar.

Detillier said he feels it is necessary to have the stadium ready for the next football season because other athletic programs at the school rely on football revenue.

“I do appreciate the urgency I am hearing today,” he said.

At the same time Detillier was willing to look at the bigger picture.

“I don’t want to trade one year for 50 to 60 years,” he said.