Build it and they will
come – Centreville Community School
On
Sept. 9, students, staff and parents at Centreville Community School got a firsthand look at a $46,000 refurbishment of the school gym,
made possible through a community partnership.
Vice-Principal
Chris Sparrow said community stakeholders recently joined forces to form the Centreville
Community Gym Re-Fresh Committee. This group, in consultation with the school,
worked to carry out the gym work by creating an action plan and raising
sufficient funds to complete the project within a few months.
As
a result, the refurbishment of the gym was completed in mid-July and included floor
sanding, painting the lines and keys, adding a new centre court logo, varnishing,
purchase of a protective floor cover, installation of new energy efficient lighting,
and new score clock which is expected to arrive soon.
“Our
gymnasium gets a lot of use,” Sparrow said. “In addition to our physical
education classes, intramural programs, sports and extra-curricular activities,
we have a variety of assemblies during the year along with drama and musical
performances. It is certainly a multi-use facility as our community also uses
the gym to support its mini-ball program, a basketball summer camp, as well as various
services throughout the year such as our Remembrance Day service and our annual
Christmas concert. We even host multiple blood donor clinics throughout the
year. It’s a busy place.”
Prior
to the refurbishment, safety concerns arose about the slippery floor and the
darkness of the gym due to outdated lighting. A 30-year-old score clock was also
not working properly. The improvements have now created a place for the school
community to take pride in, Sparrow said.
“Students
are excited about the change. They are taking ownership over the floor, being a
little more careful and always wearing proper footwear.”
An
official opening of the refurbished gym is being planned for later in the fall.
The
Centreville Community School Gym Refresh Committee was led by Ginny Banks with
multiple community partners making monetary contributions to the project.
