New Centertown School takes shape

The new Centertown School is well under way, much to the delight of the community, the school system, county government and all those who have worked so diligently to promote and finance the facility.

The almost $7.4 million project suffered from some early rain delays, but with the recent dry weather the construction is close to being back on schedule. According to Director of Schools Dr. Jerry Hale, the school is slated for completion in early July of next year.

?It?s moving on along,? Hale said. ?The three weeks they lost with all the rain, they?ve made up two weeks of that, as far as the work schedule. Right now, it seems to be on schedule to be completed by the target date.?

The project was not without some controversy early on, including a short-lived battle between county government and the school system as to how the funds for the construction would be allocated, but that situation was handled by a compromise agreement between County Executive Kenneth Rogers and the school board where Rogers agreed to co-sign the construction contracts. Ground was broken at the construction site, just off Charlie Turner Road, late last year. Site preparation was initiated at that point, with full scale construction beginning this year as soon as weather permitted.

School architect Derrick Clemow, of Upland Design Group, says construction is moving along well, with some of the walls taking shape.

?There?s a lot of progress out there now,? Clemow reported at Thursday?s school board meeting. ?Starting with the gymnasium, the gym floors are poured. The walls are up to a 14-foot height on three of four sides. The kitchen and cafeteria area is roughed in as far as plumbing is concerned and gravel is in place. The upper school academic wing has about 80 percent of the concrete floor poured.?

Work is also progressing on the entrance drive to the school.

?The base stone for the road is down,? Clemow said. ?About 80 percent of the storm drains piping is in place. It?s gone from being a little bit muddy to being very dusty.

?The progress at this point is very good,? Clemow continued. ?A lot of work going on, a lot of personnel on that site every day.?

Longtime Centertown School principal Janie Moore says she visits frequently and is excited to see the walls actually being constructed.

?It?s looking good,? Moore said. ?It?s got proportions now. I feel better every day. The more blocks that are laid, the better I feel.?

Moore says the project has been a cooperative effort between citizens, government and the school system.

?Without all of them, it couldn?t have been done,? Moore said. ?There?s no way we could have achieved this without everyone that has attended meetings and helped with planning. This hasn?t been just in the last six months. It?s been an ongoing effort for a number of years, and it has finally come to fruition.?

Hale says everyone is pleased with the current progress and seeing the building actually taking shape is rewarding, considering all the work, planning and preparation that has gone into the project.

?It gives you a feeling of accomplishment to see it finally taking form,? Hale said. ?Knowing it?s on its way being completed. It?s just a good feeling.?