Two area school districts are faced with repairing the floors of their gymnasiums and at least one of those is replacing the entire floor.
The gym floors at Dale and North Rock Creek were damaged during the major snowstorm that brought record-breaking, unprecedented, below freezing temperatures to Oklahoma for a number of days in February.
Burst pipes caused water damage at both of those schools.
“We started the repair last week the day after our board approved the bid the night before,” said North Rock Creek Supt. Blake Moody.
“Rollins Floor Co. began the repair last Tuesday (April 13).” Moody said the company’s bid was for $197,517 for a complete replacement to a ¾ inch gym floor.
“We have wood from wall to wall and that has to be replaced,” he added.
Moody said when the pipe burst, the flooding began on one end and continued to warp the floor til about half court where it stopped. “The floor looks like waves and there’s moisture still in the carpet pad underneath.”
“The bleachers have to be pulled out from the wall so the wood underneath can be replaced. Then the existing bleachers are rolled back in place on the new wood,” Moody said.
“It will take 45 to 60 days for Rollins to complete the job. We should be able to be ready for the school year,” he believes.
The NRC superintendent said, “Insurance covered the entire cost. OSIG (Oklahoma School Insurance Group) we’ve been with them for about 20 years. With the fact the insurance covered the entire cost we were able to increase the floor thickness from ½ inch to ¾ inch,” he stressed.
“We received two bids from two reputable sources. The other bid was Baseline Sports Floors for $202,274.80. I was very pleased.”
“We’re moving all of our year end school activities to the football field this year while the replacement of the gym floor takes place.”
Moody said about cost of the floor replacement, “I was thinking $250,000 to $300,000. But Rollins was able to lock in on some favorable lumber prices. So that saved us considerable money.”
Acting School Supt. Ky Wilkins at Dale said last week, ‘We don’t know the extent of the damage. We’re waiting on a report from the people who have looked at it.”
He explained that Tri-State Flooring installed the floor in the new gymnasium that was completed in 2019.
“The floor guy came out last week and looked at it and we’re waiting for the estimate from him,” Wilkins said.
“The floor wasn’t warped in the beginning and now it is.
“It still needs to dry up, there is some more moisture in it. We still have fans blowing on it.”
Wilkins stressed, “We’re at a standstill.”
He informed Board of Education members during their meeting on April 5 the floor in the new high school gymnasium is starting to ripple. He said the floor is raised up several inches.
It’s from the leaks in the gymnasium that occurred during the major winter snowstorm in February.
“I will tell you we’re in a pickle,” Wilkins said during that meeting.
He advised the girls’ basketball coach Eric Smith brought it to his attention after the school had resumed classes following spring break.
Describing for board members what has to be done if the gym floor has to be completely replaced Wilkins explained, “That is a month to a month and a half process.”
But at this time, Wilkins isn’t sure what all is going to be required.
He said two or three insurance adjusters have been out to look at the floor, as well.