Burlington

Athletic facility fundraising gets green light

by Ed Nadolski Views: 13
This is the conceptual design for the addition to the athletic facilities at Burlington High School proposed by a committee of the Burlington Athletic Association. The 48,000-square-foot addition has an estimated cost of $6.5 million and would be an extension to the south side of the school.

Board imposes conditions on plans for privately funded addition at BHS

By Alex Johnson

Correspondent

A committee that grew out of the Burlington High School Athletic Association has been given permission to begin raising funds for a proposed 48,000-square-foot athletic training facility expansion at Burlington High School.

An amendment to the motion made at the April 9 Building and Grounds Committee was approved Monday by the Burlington Area School District Board of Education. The approval allows the committee to move forward with fundraising with the following five conditions:

  • The school district and School Board maintain all future approvals of any improvements, funding sources, or support;
  • The board maintains approval of any naming rights in connection with the project as required by district policy;
  • Any organization that pursues the athletic addition provides no less than semi-annual reports to the board on the status of donations, finances and other projects of worth, and the plans for the expansion;
  • The target amount to be raised is $6.5 million over a period of two years; and
  • The district has the right to do an independent review of any plans or specifications at district cost.

The Building and Grounds Committee at the April 9 required the group to come up with a donation deadline and cost of the project by the date of May 31 2018.

Athletic Association treasurer Michael Deans and architect Jim Pankratz on Monday told the board the estimated cost of the project is $6.5 million, and they would have the donation period open for two years.

Board member Barry Schmaling made a motion to add the fifth item to the motion, allowing the Board to hire an architect for an independent study of the project at the district’s cost should they desire one.

“I don’t think we’re going to need (an independent review), but if the board has a concern with something, with an interest of protecting the district, we have the opportunity. It protects us,” Schmaling said.

To read the complete story see the April 19 edition of the Burlington Standard Press.

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