Hanceville gym replacement on the way

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September 11, 2012

Hanceville gym replacement on the way

Tornado-damaged gym torn down; construction to start soon

By Trent Moore The Cullman Times The Cullman Times Tue Sep 11, 2012, 01:20 PM CDT

After more than a year without a high school gym, Hanceville students and fans will have something to celebrate soon. The school system is finally able to replace the high school gym, which was heavily damaged in the April 27, 2011, tornadoes, and planning is currently under way to finalize the design.

Officials have been in limbo ever since the tornado, with insurance not providing enough capital for a full replacement and filings with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) slowly creeping through layers of bureaucracy for months.

But, Superintendent Billy Coleman believes the patience has finally paid off, and officials hope FEMA and insurance funds will be enough to cover virtually all the construction costs associated with the new $3 million gymnasium.

The old gym site has already been cleared, and officials hope to start work as soon as possible on the replacement with Hartselle-based contractor Woodward Construction.

“Some things are finally falling into place that were out of our control, and we’re very excited to see something happen,” he said. “Once FEMA went through their procedures, Washington had to approve it, so we’ve been waiting because we didn’t want to waste the money on architectural drawings, only to find out we couldn’t have a new gym. But, now we’re so excited to have the ball rolling.”

The school system is working with Cullman-based Leonard Designs to finalize the exact look of the new one-story gymnasium, and Coleman said he expects it to reflect the tradition of the Hanceville community.

“We got input from the community, and officials at the school, and tried to do something we felt would be the best fit for Hanceville,” he said. “We like the design, and there are going to be areas for a lot of neat things. We’ll have about the same seating capacity, and some good facilities for physical education classes and things like that.”

The biggest change from the previous facility? The new one will be air-conditioned, unlike many of the decades-old gyms dotting campuses across the county.

Officials hope to release some final architectural renderings in the coming weeks.

With construction slated to begin in the current school year, Coleman said plans are already in the works to keep the distractions to a minimum on-campus.

“Obviously, anytime you have construction there can be some headaches, but we think we have it figured out,” he said.

Hanceville High School Principal Tracy Hubbert did not return a message left seeking comment by deadline of this article.

‰ Trent Moore can be reached by e-mail at trentm@cullmantimes.com, or by telephone at 734-2131, ext. 220.

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Hanceville gym replacement on the way

Tornado-damaged gym torn down; construction to start soon

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