When Will School Gym Open to Public as Community Center?

Bensalem Township High School's new gymnasium, which opened for student use in December 2011, was slated to open to the township as a community center in February 2012. More than a year later, the community still has no access to the facility.

The 45,000-square-foot facility that features a three-court gym with seating for 1,700 and an elevated track came with a $15 million price tag. Of that, $2 million came from township coffers and another $2 million from a state grant that requires public access during non-school hours as part of an intergovernmental agreement.

So when will the gym open to Bensalem residents as a community center? The answer remains unknown.

School District President Ralph Douglass told Patch that the district and the township administration will hold a meeting on Wednesday, March 27 to discuss "all the administrative aspects" of opening the gym to the community.

This meeting will not be open to the public, according to Susan Phy, the school district's community relations representative.

The , almost 2 and a half years after ground was broken on the project. At that time, former school district business director Jack Myers said that it would take a little time to figure out the details for township access, but that he "would suggest a target date" of late February 2012.

The opening of the gym to students was postponed because of a seven-month delay in the arrival of heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment from the overseas firm. Then in July 2012, School District Superintendent David Baugh said the same contractor that caused that delay failed to provide a necessary mechanism, which would prolong the opening to the public even more.

The agreement to have the facility open during non-school hours for township-sponsored activities and community groups gives the district the right to charge for custodial, utility and security costs, Myers previously told Patch. He said the agreement will be modeled after the district's use of its pools at the high school and Robert K. Shafer Middle School.

"We have a long history of making our facilities available," Myers said in December 2011. "We want to make the gym available to individuals to walk the track and shoot some hoops. We want to try to mirror the manner in which we make our pools available, with public swims and swims for seniors."

When do you think the gym will be open to the community? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Related articles:

• District Shoots for Dec. 17 Grand Opening for Gym/Community Center