Construction projects at Whitley Co. Schools delayed

Several major construction projects have been ongoing throughout the Whitley County School District this year, though two that were expected to have already been completed have been delayed due to supply chain shortages.

The Whitley County High School Volleyball Team was recently recognized by the Whitley County Board of Education for an outstanding season, which included going to the elite eight in the state championship tournament.

During the Whitley County Board of Education’s regular monthly meeting last Thursday, Suzanne Irwin, a project architect with Ross Tarrant Architects, provided board members with updates regarding the ongoing projects. According to Irwin, work on both the Whitley County High School Career and Technical Education (CTE) Building and cafeteria addition at Oak Grove Elementary School have stalled as necessary components needed for completion have been unavailable.

The CTE Building was expected to have been completed in November, but had its completion date pushed to Dec. 15 earlier this year. A switchgear needed for the building’s electrical control has been on backorder for quite some time and is vital to the opening of the building to students and faculty.

“The contractor is monitoring that, but it is going to delay completion and occupancy,” said Irwin. “The code does not allow occupancy to take place until that switchgear is installed.”

A ship date is currently scheduled for some time in January, according to Irwin.

Work on other areas is still ongoing, with the interior spaces of the building nearing completion.

“Next month, they should be finishing the flooring, sealing the concrete and finishing up some final things,” said Irwin.

At Oak Grove, a rooftop HVAC unit has been delayed, pushing its completion date, which was also Dec. 15, into next year. However, Irwin said that there was a more concrete timeline for when that unit should be available.

Whitley District Judge Cathy Prewitt recently swore in re-elected Whitley County Board of Education members Kenneth Carr and Brenda Rose.

“I did get message from the contractor today that said they checked in and that is set to be shipped on the 23rd [of December] and will arrive on site at the beginning of January,” said Irwin.

Another project at Whitley North Elementary School upgrading the school’s HVAC is wrapping up, according to Irwin, as work at WCHS on an addition to the school’s physical education building is in full swing. The work at Whitley North is finishing some final items, while workers at WCHS has the site of the new building prepared and ready for foundations to be dug and poured.

Irwin also provided a bit of information on planned updates to the WCHS football field and Whitley County Middle School track, which are currently out to bid. Those projects will see an overhaul of both athletic facilities, with a new turf field at WCHS and a full resurfacing of the track at WCMS.

Bids are expected to be opened Jan. 12, 2023 and will be presented to the board during their regular meeting on Jan. 19, 2023.

Irwin said that work should start in mid-to-late February for both projects, with the track expected to be completed in June 2023 and the football field in August 2023.