Workers at Slippery Rock High School prepare the gymnasium for new flooring as part of the updating project at the school. In addition to the gym, the entryway is also being redone. Both projects should be done before the next school year.

SLIPPERY ROCK — A $6.5 million project will add a new gymnasium and change the front entrance to Slippery Rock High School.

The 1,000-seat gym will allow the school to host bigger events and hold more team practices during the school year while an improved commons area will become the new school entrance.

For most of this school year, students, teachers and visitors have been entering the school from the back, avoiding the construction in the front of the building. As spring approaches, students can see the gym shaping up, with inside work consuming most of the worker's time from now on.

The project, which began last spring, also includes renovations inside the high school. Most of that work will be done this summer, with a completion date scheduled for August.

About $500,000 of these miscellaneous renovations include air conditioning repair, updates to the science labs, renovations to the CAD facility, electrical upgrades and other items.

As of March 1, the new gymnasium portion of the school was ready for partial occupancy, with two classrooms, two locker rooms, a fitness room and training rooms prepared for use, according to Pat Connelly, facilities director for the district. This section was done first to take up the slack when the basement is closed for locker, training and fitness room renovations. Crews are continuing work this spring on the gymnasium floor, lobby, concession stand and restrooms in the lobby area. Those restrooms will also open to the outside, allowing use by football fans and other outdoor sports, Connelly said.

The 1,000-seat gymnasium replaces the current one that seated about 500 people. The new gymnasium will allow more room for students to practice as well, according to Connelly.

Automatic volleyball supports are one new addition, and they lower from the ceiling so nets don't get tangled or need stored.

New trophy showcases line the outside of the gym and a student mosaic will be constructed in the new lobby. Teacher Brandi Elford's art classes this spring will work on the 4 foot by 8 foot mosaic, which will display a rocket, the school mascot, made up of 26,000 pieces of tile.

Inside the school, students and teachers have been dealing with some construction changes during the winter and spring, according to principal Harry Beil. The major noise and construction dust have been contained to the new gymnasium area, however.

Roger Weaver, clerk of the works on the project, told school board members recently that although bad weather has delayed some of the new construction on the gymnasium, the overall project will be done in August as anticipated.

Other improvements done last summer include almost $1 million in electrical service upgrades in the high school. The computer service for teachers and students will be improved with these changes, according to administrators.

Working on the project are Uhl Construction Co. Inc., general contractors; Westmoreland Electric, electrical; Renick Brothers, heating and ventilating, and Guy's Mechanical Systems Inc., plumbing.

Burt Hill Kosar Rittelmann Associates are the architects for the project.

Board members voted in late 2003 to start planning for the gym project, but before that, two years of discussions went on debating its advantages. The project cost added about 3.2 mills in property taxes which was added into the 2005-06 school district budget.

<B>Address:</B> 201 Keister Road, Slippery Rock, PA 16057<B>Telephone:</B> 724-794-2960<B>Fax:</B> 724-794-2001<B>E-mail:</B> 04slippesd@psupen. psu.edu<B>Web site:</B> www.slipperyrock. 12.pa.us<B>Superintendent:</B> Lee Beaton<B>Enrollment:</B> 2,452<B>Municipalities served:</B> Brady, Franklin, Mercer, Muddy Creek, Slippery Rock and Worth townships; Harrisville, Portersville, Prospect, Slippery Rock and West Liberty boroughs