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Lyons Township High School field house in need of big repairs
Updated: October 28, 2012 6:08AM
LAGRANGE – Major repairs will have to be made to the field house floor at the Lyons Township High School North Campus.
High School District 204 officials already knew that the century rains of July 2011 had caused moisture-related problems with the northern part of the field house floor. However, now water-related issues have been seen on the southern end of the floor as well.
No repair estimate was provided at the last week’s School Board meeting, but it was evident from discussion that it won’t be a cheap solution. Because the track below the 12- or 13-year-old field house floor contains mercury, extra precautions must be taken when working around it.
“It will be three or four times more expensive than asbestos abatement,” Superintendent Tim Kilrea said.
He said the floor is safe and that physical education classes and other field house activities are not affected.
Kilrea noted that what was thought to be a 2,500-square-foot repair project has grown to a 6,000-square-foot project.
“And we don’t know the source of the water yet (for the damage to the south part of the floor),” said board President Mark Pera.
Looking for some sense of the magnitude of the repair work, board member George Dougherty asked if the district was looking at “six figures or seven figures.” Kilrea responded that wouldn’t be known until further analysis.
District officials noted most or all of the repair work, sans the district’s $2,500 deductible, should be covered by the district’s umbrella insurance policy.
David Sellers, director of business services, said there are no tripping hazards with the existing floor, but added there is a waviness issue.
“This is a big deal for us,” Kilrea said.
Analysis work will be done at the school on Columbus Day; and the board’s Facilities Committee will begin analyzing the repair project at its Oct. 23 meeting.
Kilrea noted that because the high school campuses are the last stop on the village’s sewer system when back-ups occur, school property is affected. He said that in the July 2011 storms, back-ups caused the water fountains in the field house to bubble over.
“And it managed to have Old Faithful come up in a hallway,” Sellers said.
He noted improvements have already been made so that no pipes are under the north part of the floor. The same will need to be done on the south end of the floor, Sellers said.
