Storms Result In Another Setback For New Gymnasium

The new gym/community center at , whose opening had been pushed back because of late-arriving equipment, will be delayed further after “lots of water” got into the facility during recent storms.

“I'm very disappointed by the situation,” Superintendent David Baugh told Patch on Wednesday night. “We're still trying to sort it all out.”

District business manager Jack Myers said the water damaged parts of the maple basketball court and also got into the lobby.

Some of the water, he said, entered rooftop heating/air conditioning/ventilation equipment and traveled through duct work while more came through temporary HVAC equipment installed in windows.

That temporary equipment was made necessary because the rooftop units arrived more than seven months late this June from Jordan. Myers had already said the district was looking at possible litigation with the provider of the HVAC equipment, Petra.

Now, he said Wednesday night, “This is going to be a battle between contractors over responsibility.”

Asked to quantify the amount of water that entered the building, Myers would only say “lots of water” got in during the three most recent storms. He said the water has since been removed.

Myers said he is optimistic the gym will be ready by the start of basketball season in October.

Bob Moseley, director of facilities, could not be reached Thursday.

Ground was broken in July 2009 on the 45,000 square-foot facility and district officials were recently planning a grand opening this summer. But the late-arriving equipment and major work on a new geothermal HVAC system at pushed that back.

The gym project has carried an estimated price tag of $15 million, with the township providing a $2 million state grant and $2 million of its own cash. The new facility features a three-court spectator gym with seating for 1,700 and an elevated track.

The latest setback was not something wanted to talk about publicly during Wednesday's school board meeting. Harry Kramer, who was presiding in Heather Nicholas' absence, twice asked if an opening date had been set and was answered by murmured “no's.”

“Is that a bad subject?” he asked.