NORTH MANCHESTER - North Manchester School board members heard from two architects Tuesday regarding renovations for the high school's gymnasium: Moake-Park Group Inc. and Barton Coe Vilamaa, both of Fort Wayne.

School board member Todd Speicher explained that the trustees advertised for architects and now are hearing presentations from four architects. Two presentations were heard Tuesday night and two more will be heard within the next couple of weeks. The next step will be to receive bids, and then the trustees will make a decision on which company to hire, Speicher said Tuesday.

Assistant school superintendent Kim Thurston said a conservative amount Manchester Community Schools can budget for the renovations is $2 million.

The corporation would like renovations to begin April 1 and end Aug. 1, if possible.

Manchester High School assistant principal Randy Self presented information to the school board trustees on the gym renovations May 1 at a school board meeting.

Self said in May three goals for the renovations include providing better physical education and athletic practice facilities, better seating for athletic events and making the facility more aesthetically pleasing.

Renovations for the high school gymnasium include the addition of two mechanical rooms and a hallway on the west side of the gym, replacement of bleachers, demolition of the stage and extending the gym floor, installation of a new hardwood maple gym floor with a padded subfloor, installation of new lights in the gym, replacement of the gym ceiling, updating the sound system, heating and air-conditioning and upgrading and installing new electrical service.

The layout tentatively would consist of a game floor in its present location including two half courts facing the west side of the gym, a full basketball court and two volleyball courts. The existing stadium seats will remain and be refurbished and refinished.

Self said in May the renovations would allow more than one practice and more than one athletic event to take place. The corporation also is tentatively looking at the possibility of a new auxilary gymnasium.

The next school board meetings are scheduled for July 24 at 7 p.m. and July 31 at 5:30 p.m. Both meetings are in the board meeting room in Maple Park, North Manchester. The meetings are open to the public .

Manchester Community Schools Board of Trustees members are: president Sally Krouse, vice president Virginia Gunter, secretary Brad Perrott, Kent Trickle, Larry Miller, Todd Speicher and Thom Frantz. Assistant superintendent is Kim Thurston. School corporation attorney is Al Schlitt. [[In-content Ad]]