The Dunlap school district is moving forward with plans for a new $8.5 million athletic training center.
The school board on Wednesday approved spending money from the district's reserves for the 42,500-square-foot complex that is meant to relieve the overcrowding in Dunlap's existing athletic facilities that has some activities spilling out into school hallways.
Among other things, the training center would tout three basketball courts, a pole vaulting and long jump area, and a dance room.
The building will have a 160-meter track, rather than the 200-meter track some had wanted. The district will forgo a pool for the facility. Estimates for adding one came out to $13 million.
School board president Dr. Abby Humbles supported the project.
"Research shows that children do far better if they're involved in extracurricular activities. They feel part of a team. They get self-esteem. Sometimes they don't have a lot of encouragement elsewhere, you know, those are all positives, and I just feel this space will be utilized," she said.
The board voted 5-2 to approve the proposal, with Tim Wagenbach and Linda Smith casting the no votes. The funding for the training center will come from the district's $38 million in reserves.
Smith said the district has a budget deficit projected next year, and the focus should be primarily on building a new, larger Wilder-Waite Elementary School.
"We need to just finish the school. And I'm not opposed to any of this. I'm just opposed to it right now. I just think it's fiscally not the right thing to do. It's not going to generate any money," she said.
Those comments came after a lengthy discussion wherein the school board voted to approve issuing up to $35 million in bonds to fund the new school's construction. That's less than the $40 million originally requested. A recent tweak in state law allows the district to issue those bonds without going to voters in a referendum.
Superintendent Scott Dearman said that new school should hopefully open by fall 2026.
