The West Aurora School District board is eyeing $1.2 million in proposed interior renovations to be done at several schools in the district this summer, including work to modernize the West Aurora High School Blue Fieldhouse.
The district’s architectural firm Studio GC of Chicago analyzed seven bids and qualifications of bidders for the proposed projects. The firm recommended the board award the work to the lowest responsible and responsive bidder, Construction Solutions of Illinois, Inc. based in Oak Lawn.
A vote is set to be taken on the proposed work at the board’s next meeting.
The work proposed at the West High Blue Fieldhouse, one of three fieldhouses on the high school’s campus, would include removing the existing floor and replacing it with a combination of turf and indoor track flooring, district officials said.
“We are excited about this improvement because it will provide us with additional flexibility for both physical education classes and our athletic teams,” West Aurora School District Associate Superintendent of Operations Angie Smith said.
Smith said the interior renovations at the fieldhouse would provide opportunities for athletes, including members of dance and cheer teams, to practice on a turf surface for football games. The track lanes would allow high school track teams to get practice in with their spikes whenever weather conditions prevent students from practicing on the outdoor track, officials said.
West Aurora High School Associate Principal David Sally said the “multi-surface concept” planned for the fieldhouse is ideal for the campus.
“We are fortunate to have multiple large spaces available to house practices and events. One of our top priorities is ensuring that all student-athletes are able to practice at 3 p.m. We are also very mindful of transportation barriers, as some students would have difficulty getting a ride home and then returning for a later practice time. Having three fieldhouses and a competition gym allows us to explore different surface options while still ensuring all teams can still practice in the afternoon,” Sally said.
The improvements and modernization of the Blue Fieldhouse would expand options for high school physical education units and provide additional training and practice opportunities for athletic teams, according to Sally.
“The track surface will serve a similar purpose, by offering a dedicated training space while also allowing our track athletes to wear spikes as they prepare for a full indoor IHSA season. Currently, our athletes do not have an indoor area where they can train in spikes,” Sally said.
The improvements would open up opportunities to host other events in the fieldhouse as well, he said.
“Through site visits this past summer, we learned that the turf surface can accommodate chairs and tables, making it a highly versatile space. This flexibility will allow us to continue hosting fairs, testing and other large-scale events that require a spacious indoor setting,” Sally said.
Renovation projects on a smaller scale are also proposed at Smith, Schneider and Nicholson elementary schools as well as Jefferson Middle School, district officials said.
Linda Girardi is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
