"Look at the new locker rooms!" was often overheard as the Dolores Schools' Design Advisory Committee met Wednesday in conjunction with the Dolores High School Advisory Committee.
Over 24 parents, students and school personnel huddled around the tables to review and give input on the latest designs presented by the Blythe Group out of Grand Junction. A newly reworked schematic of the locker rooms, resulting from prior community and school input, delighted the group.
This plan raises the locker room facilities to the same level as the auxiliary gym with stairs and a wheel chair lift entering the locker rooms from the main gym. Separate hallways will lead to the boys' and girls' locker rooms and will connect the two gyms. A health classroom has also been added to a complex. Completion of the locker rooms is slated for August 2013 - just in time for fall sports.
Also scheduled for completion before school begins this fall is the elementary addition. This project will add two classrooms (sized for grades 3-5) and a corridor connecting the elementary school and the commons area.
The two story high school addition had some minor adjustments made. A central stair case will provide internal access to the second floor while a "sky bridge" staircase will provide external access.
The "bridge" will allow the courtyard between the current high school wing and the new addition to remain open. During the meeting, several comments and suggestions were made regarding the new science facilities and Vo-Ag shop, which will be housed in the new addition. All interested parties were eager to get their new spaces perfectly planned.
This meeting wrapped up the design input stage.
The Blythe Group architects will now move to preparing working blueprints. The Design Advisory Team will be interviewing and selecting a general contractor/construction manager for the project over the next three weeks. Look for more updates in the Star after spring break.