by Joey Crandall, Carson Valley Times
A new landmark rose in Minden during the past year, as Douglas High School renovated its coaches box at the Big George Athletic Complex on campus.
Expanded, outfitted with the latest technology and updated to meet the needs of the modern high school athletic program – the new addition replaced one of the oldest structures on campus, and one of the smallest structures of its kind among Northern Division I schools.
Over the summer, the words “Douglas Tigers” were painted in large lettering on the back of the box, facing passing motorists on Highway 88 – almost like a town water tower.
Douglas football coach Ernie Monfiletto chuckled at the suggestion.
“It's a lot like that,” he said. “The thing of it too, is that towns with water towers are usually pretty good places to live. Places of strong community.
“The way this came together, it's
'Town Water Tower' Rises Out Of Community Effort
just a tribute to where we live and the great people that live here.”
Talk about renovating the coaches and press box began when the complex received a major face-lift in 2006 with a new track and new playing surface.
It didn't fit the budget then, but plans began again over the past several seasons as TV stations from Reno sought better accommodations to be able to televise contests at the complex.
“We put it out to bid coming out of the 2015 school year and when we got the bids back last fall, we weren't even in the ballpark of what we were able to do,” Monfiletto said. “We put it out to re-bid and
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lowest.
“The cost of the building was $110,000, but what they were able to do was get the vast majority of materials and labor donated to the project. You had companies out here like Minden Electric and Curtis & Sons doing things for zero profit, it helped keep the costs down.