Problems Under Gym Floor Delaying Middle School Construction

Classes begin for the students on Aug. 29, but the middle school gym floors will not be ready by then.

The gym floors have given construction crews some trouble at both and middle schools.

Crews finished excavating about five feet of the floor inside the Boyce Middle School gym because of the expanding material found underneath.

"It took a great deal of time," said John Bornyas, director of operations, community relations and special projects.

Construction officials were worried they would find the material underneath the floor because the old gym floor had a curvature. They didn't know for sure until they went under.

The concrete was poured at Boyce Wednesday, Aug. 3. Crews must wait until the moisture is released to lay down the wood floor which will take about 90 days. The gym is expected to be completed in mid-October. 

The rest of the Boyce project is in its final phase. According to Bornyas, crews are almost done putting in the ceiling tiles. They are also working on the hallway flooring, the main entrance, the sidewalks and the parking lot. 

"The project is moving along to get ready for the start of the school year," Bornyas said.

Bornyas added he was pleased with the athletic field improvements.

"It's moving along and in good shape," Bornyas said. "The majority of turf is in there."

Crews are dealing with another stubborn gym floor at Fort Couch Middle School. The wet spring is causing a delay in the concrete releasing its moisture. Crews can't lay down the wood floor until the concrete moisture is at a certain level.

Bornyas estimated the process would be complete sometime in September. Until then, physical education classes will have to use the cafeteria because the Fort Couch is not ready to be used.

The extra work needed to be done in the Boyce gym cost an extra $150,000. 

"We are extremely tight, close," Bornyas said, referring to the middle school construction budget. But he said spending the $150,000 on the Boyce gym is something that needed to be done to fix the problem.