Repairs to school's gym roof planned

By Jennifer Griswold

Published: April 9, 2008

NORMAN — Repairs will begin soon on one of two gymnasium roofs in the Norman School District damaged by the December ice storm.

Western Wood Structures, an Oregon company that specializes in building with wood, has evaluated Longfellow's roof, testing both the joints and wood density of the beams.

The company determined the roof can be repaired, but a cable system should be installed to lift the roof and take some pressure off the beams, district architect William Kaighn said.

At a special meeting Monday, the school board declared an emergency and contracted with Western Wood Structures to complete the work. The cost of the project is not to exceed $68,800, the contract states.

Work on the project will begin in the coming weeks. School officials want to have the gymnasium open by August.

It is the only gymnasium at the school, and it can't be used until the structural work is completed, so the repairs need to begin as soon as possible, Superintendent Joe Siano said.

In other business, the board accepted bids for bond projects that will add two classrooms at Lincoln Elementary School and will install air conditioning in the gymnasiums of 13 Norman elementary schools.

The bids for the classroom addition at Lincoln Elementary School came in well above initial estimates. The lowest bid was $467,226 by RQC, Inc. Only $272,800 in bond money was set aside for the project.

Kaighn said the district hadn't done such a small addition before and underestimated how much it would cost per square foot. Repairs to the south wall where the addition will be added also are needed, he said. The district has saved money on a couple of other bond projects, so that money can be put toward this one, he said.

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