World Fence News

August 2019

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(This article is a first-person re- port by port by port Bryant Dinwiddie Bryant Dinwiddie Bryant of Aabot of Aabot of Fence on the company's sometimes challenging, but ultimately but ultimately but success- ful, fence installation at the at the at new At- lanta Braves spring training facility and multi-use stadium, CoolToday Park, in Florida.) • • • The Atlanta Braves ended the 2019 spring training season with a 4-2 win over the over the over visiting Tampa Bay Rays in the inaugural game at CoolToday at CoolToday at Park, their new their new their spring training facility in North Port, Florida. The $140 million facility, built on built on built 70 acres along Florida's Gulf Coast, Gulf Coast, Gulf houses a stadium with a total capac- ity of over of over of 8,000, over 8,000, over two other major other major other league fields, four minor four minor four league minor league minor fields, multi-use fields, batting cages, pitch- er's warm ups, and a sports medicine academy, which is still currently un- der construction. der construction. der Aabot Fence Aabot Fence Aabot of Orlando of Orlando of handled the extensive multi-field and perime- ter fencing, ter fencing, ter which included seven au- tomated gate systems. Local contractor Tandem Con- struction, in partnership with Michi- gan-based contractor Barton contractor Barton contractor Malow, were in charge of construction. of construction. of Construction began with an Oc- tober 16, tober 16, tober 2017 groundbreaking while fence work commenced in May of 2018. Aabot's team was anchored by Marty Smith, the field superintendent, with his core team of Elvan of Elvan of Norman, Bobby Crites, John Legg, and Kyle Stootman, as well as rotating ancil- lary support from support from support Bryant Dinwiddie, Bryant Dinwiddie, Bryant OT Sippio, Edgar Sanchez, Edgar Sanchez, Edgar Jose Rec- cio, Jose Rodriguez, Marcos Mancia and others. Marty Smith coordinated field operations with a management team management team management including Gary Musselwhite, Valerie Hamil, and Jay Palmer, patriarch of the Palmer family Palmer family Palmer which owns Aabot Fence. Fence work began work began work with the south- ernmost minor ernmost minor ernmost league minor league minor fields in clover- clover- clover leaf formation. leaf formation. leaf Outfield and sideline fence was eight foot eight foot eight tall foot tall foot 8 gauge black vinyl chain link with link with link windscreen and yellow fence cap following a curve carefully coordinated with surveyors. The height jumped height jumped height to 12' tall in front of front of front the of the of pitcher's warm up cages along each sideline and continued un- til the bullpen, where post diameter post diameter post increased from 3" to 6-5/8". The fence at this at this at point began point began point a tapered rise from 12' tall to the final 3-sided backstop height of height of height 30 of 30 of '. The major league fields differed from these in having a curved backstop, while the outfield was made of a of a of series of slightly of slightly of angled fence runs as well as a longer tapered longer tapered longer rise, while heights remained consistent. Additionally, each field had 4 each 8-5/8" posts spanning a 60' long section of center of center of field center field center at heights at heights at of 30 of 30 of ' tall for minor for minor for league minor league minor fields and 36' tall at major at major at league major league major fields. These posts, strung with steel ca- bling to support a support a support large shadecloth, formed what was what was what referred to as the "Batter's Eye." For the For the For large posts, a crane was employed to lift these lift these lift into position. The team then used a tripod system to stabilize them until a concrete truck could arrive to pour. Coordination with other trades other trades other was essential to success with these as work areas could often become crowded as site work and work and work utility work often work often work shared Aabot Fence "Braves" adversity to adversity to adversity help make CoolToday Park CoolToday Park CoolToday a Park a Park reality continued on continued on continued page 9 Photos at Photos at Photos left: at left: at 1) left: 1) left: A 1) A 1) view from view from view the from the from right the right the field stands field stands field of stands of stands the of the of new the new the Major new Major new League Major League Major ballfield, around which the Atlanta Braves spring Braves spring Braves training spring training spring facility training facility training is facility is facility cen is cen is - tered. 2) Utility burial shared close proximity to proximity to proximity fence to fence to lines, fence lines, fence and had and had and to had to had be carefully be carefully be identified. carefully identified. carefully 3) Marty 3) Marty 3) Smith, Marty Smith, Marty ground machinery ground machinery ground operator machinery operator machinery (not operator (not operator pic (not pic (not - tured), uses an uses an uses aerial an aerial an block aerial block aerial and block and block tackle and tackle and system to system to system lift to lift to fence lift fence lift fabric fence fabric fence to fabric to fabric the to the to scis the scis the - sor lift sor lift sor team lift team lift of team of team Bobby of Bobby of Crites Bobby Crites Bobby and Crites and Crites Elvan and Elvan and Norman. 4) The 4) The 4) installation The installation The crew installation crew installation was crew was crew anchored by, anchored by, anchored back row, back row, back left to left to left right, to right, to Kelly Benjamin, Kelly Benjamin, Kelly John Smith, John Smith, John OT Sip OT Sip OT - pio, Elvan Norman, Elvan Norman, Elvan Jose Rodriguez, Jose Rodriguez, Jose and John and John and Legg. John Legg. John Front row, Front row, Front left to left to left right, to right, to Bryant Dinwiddie Bryant Dinwiddie Bryant and Dinwiddie and Dinwiddie Marty and Marty and Smith. Marty Smith. Marty Top photo Top photo Top courtesy photo courtesy photo Visit courtesy Visit courtesy Sarasota Visit Sarasota Visit County Sarasota County Sarasota Other photos Other photos Other courtesy photos courtesy photos Aabot courtesy Aabot courtesy Fence Aabot Fence Aabot 1 2 3 4 News News News News News From From From From From The The The The World World World World World World Of Of Of Fencing Fencing Fencing Fencing Fencing Fencing Fencing Fencing Fencing And And And And Gate Gate Gate Gate Gate Automation Automation Automation Automation Automation Automation Automation Automation Automation Automation Automation World World World World World World World FENCE FENCE FENCE FENCE FENCE FENCE NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS August August August August August August August August August August August August August August August August August August August August August August August August August August August August August August August 2019 2019 2019 2019 2019 2019 2019 2019 2019 2019 2019 2019 2019 2019 2019 2019 2019 2019 2019 2019 2019 2019 2019 2019 2019 2019 2019 2019 2019 2019 & Industrial Fencing Solutions Residential, Commercial More products on reverse! 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