Wrestlers, dancers, and tons of students in Kinetic Wellness classes lost their practice space when New Trier High School closed its indoor field house Oct. 12.
The closure traces back to a flood on July 27 that damaged the facility's track. The field house is expected to remain shut until around the end of December, according to a report in the New Trier News, the student newspaper. Deputy Superintendent Chris Johnson estimated the repair cost at about $700,000. The district's insurance will cover the cost of demolishing and replacing the track, Johnson said.
"It's always challenging to adjust because we have so many teams and we really try to prioritize everybody practicing after school, so losing the facility is tough," Athletic Director Augie Fontanetta said.
Fontanetta said the biggest impact falls on the Kinetic Wellness program, which uses the field house every period of the school day. Varsity and junior varsity wrestling, off-season training programs and the junior varsity dance team also relied on the space daily.
Teams are shifting to alternative gym spaces, including rooms designated E100, 102 and 104. Those spaces aren't built for every program's needs.
Sophomore dancer Caroline Papuga, a member of the JV dance team, said the gym alternatives offer minimal air conditioning and aren't ideal for practice. She said the team may not get the field house back before the end of its season.
Crews plan to begin removing the existing track in the coming weeks, a process Johnson said should take three to four weeks. Johnson said he predicts the new track will be ready by the time cross country and track teams need to move indoors for winter training.
The Oct. 22 report said track removal was expected to begin in the coming weeks. Affected programs are relocating to other gym spaces during the closure.
