An area retailer looking for a community safety project chose the replacement of a fence at Bowling Green High School.

The high school got a new fence Friday along the top side of its football stadium thanks to Lowe's Heroes project. The school's 4-foot chain-link fence was replaced with a 6-foot chain-link fence.

“We were very pleased that they wanted to build a community partnership ...” said Ricky Shive, facilities manager for Bowling Green Independent Schools. “It was something we had thought about doing anyway, so it was very timely.”

Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse stores nationwide are allotted money from the company's corporate office to do a safety project, said Bob Haynes, a Lowe's sales associate. This year, Haynes said, the store on American Avenue wanted to focus on schools.

“We pick a place in the community that has a safety issue,” Haynes said. “We tried to get hold of several schools, and BG High called us back.”

Haynes said the school's fence was old and needed to be replaced.

“We felt that was one of the needs that needed to be taken care of,” he said. “With how kids play around and how high up they are in the stadium's stands, we felt it was a necessary precaution. So it was just a good project to take.”

After approval from both the local and corporate offices, Lowe's provided the materials and constructed the fence.

“Their corporate office agreed that replacing the fence was a worthwhile project for the community,” Shive said.

Shive said he and his staff were either going to paint the fence or replace it. But painting a chain-linked fence is difficult.

“So when they approached me with this project, it was obviously a good fit,” Shive said.

Although the 4-foot fence served its purpose, a 6-foot fence provides more safety to the students and community who sit at the top of the high school's stadium, which Shive said is pretty full on any given game night .

The fence replacement came at no cost the school district. Replacing the fence, however, which at retail value was $2,400, cost Lowe's $1,500.

If labor had been added, Haynes said, the cost would have easily been $4,000 or $5,000.

Haynes said only $1,200 was allotted, but the project was worthwhile to go $300 over the budgeted amount.

Lowe's Heroes is sponsored by the Home Safety Council, a nonprofit organization founded by Lowe's in 1993.

Every year, Lowe's picks a project that resolves a safety issue, such as child safety or fire safety, Haynes said

Last year under the project and with the help of the local fire department and the city, Lowe's Heroes provided 120 smoke detectors to homes that did not have them.

“I think what we do is a great idea,” Haynes said. “It helps to reach people in need when it comes to safety issues, and it lets people know we do care about our community, our customers and their safety.

“We enjoy doing it - getting out their in the community and getting done what needs to be done.”