DUNLAP, Ill. – The Dunlap School Board is looking at building an $8.5 million indoor training center for student-athletes.
Dunlap District #323 Superintendent Scott Dearman presented plans for the facility to the school board Thursday night, assuring them that the district has more than enough money to pay for it with current reserves, totaling $38 million.
The goal of the training center, Dearman tells 25 News, is to allow students to practice without being on top of each other or in unfit environments.
For example, Dearman says cheerleading teams practice in the district’s elementary schools, dance teams practice in the hallway, and the marching band can only practice when the football field isn’t being used.
The 42,500-square-foot facility would be built within walking distance of the high school, with three basketball courts, a 160-meter indoor track with pole vault and long jump, a dance room, an indoor golf simulator, and a small training room.
(Dunlap School District)
Several high school and recreational sports teams use the Dunlap Activity Center to play and practice. However, Dearman says with increasing participation in sports, and the activity center’s age and size, that’s not going to cut it.
With standing-room only at Thursday night’s board meeting, the public appeared to back the superintendent. Several people even questioned if they should make it bigger to attract tournaments, more specifically, expanding the track to 200 meters.
If accepted, groundbreaking for the training center would be in the spring of next year.
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