Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Construction To Begin August 1 On Emmet Gym

Construction on Emmet's new gymnasium should begin Friday, according to Emmet Superintendent Dr. Gene Ross.

Dr. Ross said the dirt work should be finished this week, with actual construction beginning around the first of August.

The contract was let at the June meeting of the Emmet School Board, with May Construction Co. of Little Rock turning in the low bid at $795,193. This is more than the district anticipated spending for the structure, which was burned in mid-November 1996.

Dr. Ross said the district has received $408,700 from its insurance carrier and borrowed $150,000 from the revolving loan program. Another $10,000 has come in from the district's insurer on the equipment lost in the fire and subsequent interest. The state's facility fund added another $34,000 or $35,000 to the mix, while the board agreed to transfer $100,000 from the district's operating fund.

This, he said, leaves the district about $100,000 short. "We need to raise this money, or we'll have to take out a loan on the balance," he said.

The board also went with the original plans for the gym. The front will face south, as did the old gym, with double or triple doors in the middle.

When entering, Eagle fans (and foes) will face the concession stand, with restrooms on either side of the lobby. A trophy case will also be built into a lobby wall.

The concession stand will have windows in the back of the wall so workers can keep up with the time of the game and be prepared for the halftime and quarter breaks.

The gym will be air conditioned and have a public address system for the fans comfort and enjoyment.

When there is no game scheduled, the doors between the playing surface and lobby will be locked. This will keep traffic in the lobby to a minimum.

Students going to physical education class and basketball practice will enter the structure through the dressing room doors on the visitors side of the gym.

However, the dressing rooms will not be under the bleachers, as the board previously discussed. The home team will enter on one side of the visitors side of the gym, while the visitors will have an entrance of their own.

At the end of the visitors bleachers will be an area for PE and coaches offices.

Dr. Ross said the seating capacity will be about the same as the old gym, between 500 and 600.

The fixed-wooden bleachers will be raised on an 18 inch incline to meet the Americans with Disabilities Act. The old bleachers were raised 48 inches.

Players will literally take to hardwood floors which will be laid on the concrete slab.

Dr. Ross said donations from the Bank of Prescott and Arkansas State Police Cops for Kids program is allowing the district to purchase clocks and scoreboards. In fact, he said the board has already ordered two clocks.

"Hopefully," he said, "we'll be in the gym for our second home game on Dec. 5." May Construction has 129 calendar days to finish the project. This would put the gym being completed by Dec. 1.

However, students in the Emmet district need to be getting mentally prepared to return to school, as the first day will be Aug. 18.

Dr. Ross said the board has hired a new elementary principal, Floyd Pollock, who was with the district before. But, Emmet still needs an English teacher.

No plans have been made for a formal dedication of the gym as of yet.