Elkins Gym Gets Nod

Board OKs P.E. Building

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

— The Elkins School Board gave a green light Tuesday to include a new physical education building in the construction of a new high school.

But, in the coming weeks, the board will have to decide what to do with the old gymnasium built more than 60 years ago.

Without discussion, the board approved a recommendation from Superintendent Megan Witonski to hire Hight-Jackson architects and Milestone Construction to develop plans for the new physical education facility to be built next to the new high school on a 60-acre tract west of the existing campus.

Access to the site is from Arkansas 16 on West Second Street to Carrigan Road.

Witonski said the estimated budget for the physical education building was $700,000 with some 20 percent held in reserve for infrastructure in conjunction with the building.

Greg Ferus, Milestone project manager, said he wouldn’t have a more firm estimate until the plans are developed by Hight-Jackson.

The new school, estimated at about $12 million, is projected to open for the start of the 2013-14 school year, Ferus said. Both projects could go up simultaneously as a result of the board’s action Tuesday.

“We’re hoping for a good winter,” Ferus told the board. “That’s the only thing that can hurt us.”

Much of the work so far has been on site preparation and once work begins on the steel skeleton of the building, Ferous said, “You can see things happening and it gets real exciting.”

The high school is financed by state assistance, amounting to $6.9 million in facilities partnership money, and about $5 million in new revenue from a 4.6-mill increase in the district tax rate which was approved by voters in September 2011.

School board member Bob Warren said the old gymnasium was built in 1949. Witonski said it would be the last original building on the campus after the new high school is constructed and other old buildings are demolished as part of the construction project.

The board previously decided to remove a room on the back side of the old gym when other buildings are demolished, but Witonski told board members it would require numerous repairs, including electrical and plumbing improvement and a new roof. The alternative would be to demolish that building as well.

“This is food for thought tonight,” she said. “The day is going to come.”

Bryan Delozier, board president, said the board needs to think about the building’s future but no discussion followed Witonski’s information. The building is used for numerous school activities as well as youth recreation programs outside the school.