Hayesville Middle School Gym gets much-needed update after 50 years
MARCUS KEELY Sentinel Writer

Marcus Keely/ Sentinel Photo Construction continues on the new addition to the Hayesville Middle School gym. Completion is slated for the second week of September.

A lot can change in 50 years. Just ask Joe Buckner, drafting teacher at Hayesville High School and a project coordinator for the new addition to the Hayesville Middle School gym. Buckner, a student at Hayesville in 1957 has seen the campus change tremendously over the years. However, some things still look the same. That is, until the end of this summer, when the Hayesville Middle School gym gets a much overdo renovation.

Construction on the gym began almost immediately after school let out this spring. Buckner and Danny Jones, construction teacher at the high school, were hired by the school to "update" the out-dated facility. The bathrooms in the lobby were much too small and not handicap-accessible, posing a problem during winter basketball games. In addition, the weight-room was limited by lack of space, and there was virtually no room for officespace for physical education teachers. Designed by Padgett Architects, the addition allows for immensely larger restrooms, the creation of an officespace in the lobby, a sizable increase in the square footage of the weight room, and various storage spaces that can be used for multi-purpose needs.

Photos by Christy Fuller and Marcus Keely Top Left: A wall in the middle school weight room was removed by the construction crew in preparation for the formation of a utilities closet which will house most of the electrical wiring.

The vision has been brought to life over the past summer by Buckner and Jones and a group of three Hayesville High School students who were recommended by Jones and hired by the school system. Working fivedays a week, the fiveman team has made significantprogress over the past few months. After tearing down the exterior wall of the gym closest to the Vocational Building with a jackhammer, a new wall was constructed further out. Interior walls were then removed to make way for the formation of a new layout.

While construction is going on, the entrance from the lobby into the basketball-court has been temporarily closed so that the gym can continue to host activities throughout the summer. Plumbing and electric have been installed by the school maintenance crew led by Larry Swanson. Outside the building a new sewer line was connected and the old pipes were replaced.

Above: Part of the wall seperating the weight room from the lobby of the Middle School Gym was removed to make way for the construction of a new teacher's officein what is now the lobby.

Outside things are just as busy as inside with the construction of new sidewalks around the addition. The sidewalk on the side of the gym facing the football field will be dug up and replaced with an elevated sidewalk to allow for better drainage. On the side of the building closest to the vocational building a completely new sidewalk will be poured to further help the drainage.

Despite the fast approaching school year (classes start Aug. 27) the construction is not slated to be done until the second week of September. "There's oodlin's of work to do," Buckner says. Behind schedule, the drafting teacher and his crew are putting in long hours to complete the job before it gets too far into the academic year.

When it's completed, the new addition should be a great asset to both the students and the community. But it doesn't end there for Buckner, who says that 'there's always a job to do' on campus. However, thanks to his tireless efforts, that restroom break at your next middle school basketball game should be a whole lot nicer.

To comment on this article, email Marcus at keelma6@wfu.edu.

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