     The Chadron School Board has given the go-ahead to a $220,000 renovation and upgrade of the high school gym to bring it up to varsity sports level.Â
The gym was the school’s primary sports venue for most of a decade after another renovation in the early 1990s, but several factors – including seating on only one side – led to the return to the Middle School gym, home of the Cardinals for decades.
Most of the cost of this project will be for new bleachers of 8 or 9 rows on both sides of the gym floor, but it also includes sanding and resurfacing the floor.
School Board President Tom Menke says having a second varsity gym will make it easier for Chadron High to host larger competitions.
Menke emphasizes that the project will include no local tax dollars and will instead be funded by multiple sources including this summer’s sale of the Alpha School, arena advertising, sponsorships, and the donation-supported Chadron Facilities Fund.
He says with prices continuing to rise, especially for bleachers, it makes no sense to put off the gym upgrade.
Menke says decisions on what sports and what events will be played in which gym will be made by the coaches, Activities Director Rick Barry, and Principals Jerry Mack and Nick Dressel.