Participating in the ceremonial groundbreaking Aug. 5 for a new indoor pool and weight room at Southgate Anderson High School are Southgate Community Schools Supt. Sharon Irvine (left), School Board Secretary Darlene Pomponio, Mayor Joseph Kuspa, Board President Timothy Estheimer, Board Treasurer Jason Craig, Principal Duane Lyons, Board Trustees Neil Freitas and Andrew Green, Athletic Director Dave Pinkowski, Granger Construction Manager Sid Dotinga and TMP Architecture Program Designer Mark Stievater.
By SUE SUCHYTA
Sunday Times Newspapers
SOUTHGATE – School and city officials broke ground at Southgate Anderson High School Aug. 5 for a new indoor pool and weight room, as part of a 2020 voter-approved school bond renewal.
The $60 million bond allocates $14.5 million for fitness and fine arts upgrades, which includes replacing the current high school pool, which hasn’t been used since the spring of 2011, and was deemed too expensive to repair. A weight room will be built in the former pool’s location.
Southgate Community Schools Supt. Sharon Irvine said the school board felt it was the right time to invest in athletic facilities.
“The original plan was to repair the pool,” she said. “However, after analyzing the costs involved, it was a better investment to build a new pool.”
The new pool will be built southwest of the current pool.
Currently, the high school’s swimmers formed a consolidated team with Lincoln Park High School, so its student athletes could continue to compete.
“We are excited to offer an opportunity for our Titans to have a swim facility at their high school,” Irvine said. “The visibility and accessibility of the program will give an opportunity to recruit new swimmers, and we believe that the program will be stronger as a result.”
Access to the weight room will depend heavily on the school’s ability to staff it.
A plan for community access to the new pool is still being developed.
Irvine said she hopes the pool will be completed in November 2022, but it may be impacted by the supply chain issues and worker shortages that construction companies and contractors are currently experiencing.