Petrina J. Roudebush / Roundup
Since November 2008, students looking toward the North Gym have been greeted with black tarps and fences bordering off the building.
By the end of the upcoming week, the fences may be removed and the new North Gym will be unveiled. Construction on the North Gym is scheduled to end Monday, according to Senior Project Manager Richard Nasr.
Nasr believes they are near completion and are simply waiting for safety codes and regulations.
“The issue is that we never know when the fire department will come to test the light safety,” he said.
Construction will then move to the South Gym, beginning no later than Monday.
“They will move from one side to the other,” Nasr said.
The combined budget for both gyms is estimated at $15 million.
Construction on the South Gym will include remodeling and enlarging of the Fitness Center. The Dance Room has transferred from the South Gym to the North Gym, leaving much more room for the larger Fitness Center.
In the meantime, the majority of the Fitness Center equipment will be moved to outside Shepard Field until construction ends in October.
“Right now a lot of the Fitness Center has been moved to a fenced area out by the stadium,” Nasr said.
Bob Lofrano, Pierce College athletic director, is pleased so far with the construction.
“Luckily they did this so the North Gym would open when the South Gym closes,” Lofrano said. “This way, when we leave the South Gym, let’s say in a week, the North Gym will open up and our volleyball and basketball teams can practice there.”
He still worries what may happen if the South Gym construction does not go as smoothly as planned.
“The only thing is if this construction lingers on, if the South Gym is not done by September or October, what will we do about the women’s volleyball team’s home games? They can practice in the North Gym, but where will they play?” Lofrano said.
Women’s volleyball coach Nabil Mardini is excited about the upcoming season, which starts in September, but is concerned about where the team will play their home games.
“We have discussed playing at Taft (High School), Mission (College) or even in the North Gym… We will be practicing in the North Gym, but where we’re going to play the games we do not know yet,” Mardini said.
Despite the disruption, the coaches are hopeful that everything will turn out great.
“It will be great when it’s done, (but) the whole school gets inconvenienced at a time whenever your area gets hit,” Lofrano said. “And the whole campus is doing it, it’s our turn now so we are just going to grin and bear it and get ready. When we come back in, it will be great.”
Overall, Lofrano and Mardini are happy with the progress made on the North Gym and are looking forward to the South Gym remodeling.
“You have to look at the bigger picture. We are all happy that it is happening,” Mardini said. “This place needs it. And it’s good for all the sports and the school itself. I mean, it’s a little bit of an inconvenience, but everyone has to be patient.”
