The press boxes at the newly renovated Dean and Adah Gay Complex have been closed since early April.
Both press boxes at the baseball and softball fields have been wrapped in plastic to prevent them from being entered.
According to Jan Stuebbe, Bakersfield College’s athletic director who has been out on medical leave, “I haven’t talked to anyone officially, but the welds have to be inspected. Or they were inspected, but they weren’t a certified inspector for California, but we’re working on getting it passed so we can get it open,” he said.
When contacted by e-mail, acting athletic director and softball coach Sandi Taylor would only say, “It is my understanding that there were some items that need to be addressed so it could be signed over to the college.
“We were allowed to use them at the beginning of the season under temporary occupancy until the work could be completed,” she continued.
When asked how Shirley Tavorn, a volunteer score keeper for the baseball team, felt about not being able to use the press box she said, “Oh, it’s totally bad because it’s dirty [down by the field]. I’m in the sun, and I can’t see the whole field.”
When asked if BC had told her what, if anything, would be done to help her, Tavorn only said no.
She went on to say, “I’ve asked to have a tarp, they told me no. Then it was ‘Can I have a table up next to the press box?’ Again, no.
“They said just sit wherever you want.
“Well, thank you for my volunteer time.”
On the plans BC has to reopen the press boxes, Taylor said they will be ready for the softball state championships in the middle of May.