We are using Blue Building gym, despite shortcomings

TO THE EDITOR:

My name is Jennifer Fisher, and I am the instructor for the Warren County color guard. For those of you who have no idea what that means, let me explain. When I say color guard, I am not referring to the JROTC color guard program. I am referring to the students who perform with the Warren County High School Band during the halftime show during football season.

Now that football season is over and our practices with the band are on hold until next year’s football season, we have begun our winter guard season. This is the time of year when we put together a show on a tarp for an in-door competition season. This is also the time of year when we have to fight for indoor practice space with all the other extra-curricular activities such as basketball, cheerleading, Pioneerettes, Jaycee basketball teams, and anyone else who practices at the high school in the gym.

Due to space limitations, we have been practicing at the gym inside the Blue Building where there is no heat, no bathroom and no running water. We have had nine-hour practices with no bathroom, no way to clean an injury, and no water for them to drink if they run out of drinks.

This brings me to my main point. The articles I’ve been reading in the paper have said that no one uses the gym of the Blue Building. I’m sorry, but you are wrong.

Although we don’t use the facility very often, when we have no place to practice at the high school or any other school nearby or any nearby church (yes, I called every school inside the city limits and they were all booked, all the churches who have gyms were either booked or in renovation) we have no choice but to go to the Blue Building.

We also store our props, flags, and backdrops at the gym in the Blue Building as well because there isn’t enough room in the high school band room. Now I am left to wonder, where this wonderful group of talented, dedicated, and hard-working students will be left to practice, hold our clinics, and store our equipment.

With city hall moving out, and the condition the gym is in now, why would the city pay to fix the heat and the water situation if they aren’t even there anymore? What are we supposed to do?

Maybe city officials will allocate some of their renovation funds for the Regions Bank building to add on a gym for us to use. It doesn’t even have to be the size of a full gym, just 80-feet by 80-feet with two closets for storage space, central heat and air, a bathroom, and running water, and we will be fine. Then we won’t have to fight for indoor practice space at the school we represent.

Just a thought.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Fisher

Old Smithville Road

McMinnville