NL reconsiders second gym,discusses new track

BY BRYCE KELLY

Mt. Pleasant News

NEW LONDON ? All but one major construction project is still being majorly considered at New London Community School District. After much discussion and weighing of public opinion during a special work session last night, the school board has seemingly stepped away from adding a new gymnasium/fitness center only to replace the idea with that of a new, six-lane track.

?I would love to have a new gym (and fitness center), but I just don?t think it will pass (in a vote),? said board member Shane Mettler, who expressed his concerns that while there are many in the New London community that see a need for another gym at the school, there are still many that don?t share the same feelings.

?As a staff, and I think I can speak on behalf of the staff, we see the lack of a second gym as a big stumbling block,? said Superintendent Steve McAllister, when asked by the board what the school staff?s thoughts were on the subject. ?However, if it?s the feeling of the school board that the public is not in agreement with that idea, that is something we have to consider.?

And while she also agreed that having a new gym would be a great addition to the school district, board member Lindsay Porter felt the board?s time would be better spent putting together projects that were more likely to pass in a vote and that fell within their roughly $3.8 million budget.

?As a citizen, I, more than anybody want a second gym,? Porter voiced. ?And we do have a beautiful main gym, which is what some people are struggling with, I think. They don?t see a second gym as a need. They see it more as a want. However, I do think there is a more general feeling in the community that a track is more of a need for us right now.?

And while a six-lane track would likely be a less expensive project, the board will have to tally in the cost of new items such as fencing, bleachers, lights, a crow?s nest and possibly an ADA accessible bathroom. According to McAllister, a stand-alone track could cost approximately $250,000-$300,000.

Besides discussion regarding the track and the gym/fitness center, the board also took some time to re-evaluate three of the remaining construction projects at hand, including water/waste service to the concession area at the existing high school gym, re-roofing a portion of Clark Elementary School and remodeling existing high school locker rooms.

With more accurate figures obtained from Bob Ormsby, the principal architect on the projects, the board was pleased to hear that after a more thorough inspection, the cost of the locker room remodel could be cut to approximately $199,461 from an original estimate of $844,776. The cut in price comes after Ormsby reworked the details of the project using more cost-saving materials. The layout of the proposed remodel was also reworked to cut costs, while still, according to McAllister, leaving room for a quality space.

As for the other projects, estimates state an approximate cost of $547,420 for a partial roof replacement at Clark Elementary. Also on the board?s radar are needs for repairs to the water and waste service going to the existing high school concession stand, which could cost upwards of $57,000.

?I think we can all agree that the plumbing to the concessions, as well as the roof and the locker rooms are needs. At this point, we need to continue to talk to people and get more of their thoughts on a gym or a track and go from there,? said board member Jesse Howard. ?Educating the public on the amount of use we could get out of a fitness center is still something I think we need to be doing.?

With the possibility of a new track on the books, McAllister will now consult with Ormsby to come up with estimates and a rough construction timeline for a new track. Upon receiving that information, the board plans to meet again for another work session.