Center Grove school officials are planning two new multi-million dollar building projects that would add amenities for student-athletes and staff members.
The buildings planned are a Center Grove Wellness Center to benefit staff and an Instructional Hitting Facility to house practice facilities for the school’s golf and softball teams. Both buildings would be expected to open in time for the 2023-24 school year.
The 5,800-square-foot wellness center would come with medical exam rooms, a fitness center, mental health consultation rooms and a dedicated space for physical therapy, along with an outdoor walking path. The 9,600-square-foot Instructional Hitting Facility will include an instructional hitting space and three hitting cages for softball, and three hitting bays to be shared by the golf teams, according to school documents.
If approved during the next board of trustees meeting, the school district will cover the construction of the two buildings with two bonds, each $6.1 million. The school district won’t need to raise property taxes for the project, and the two bonds will be paid off starting in 2025, as payment for previous projects is completed and comes off the books. Members of the public will have an opportunity to share their opinions about the projects during the meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday before the board votes on them.
The Wellness Center is planned across the street from Center Grove High School, while the Instructional Hitting Facility will be east of Ray Skillman Stadium, said Bill Long, assistant superintendent of operations.
The bonds for the project will also cover other school needs, including school bus purchases, land acquisition, replacing turf on the varsity football field, relocation of the freshman football field, installation of a stoplight at Pennington Road and Morgantown Road near the Wellness Center, and demolition of the Center Grove Professional Resource Center. The center is being demolished because the Center Grove Police Department has moved to the Emergency Operations Center and Bridges Academy and Center Grove Simon Youth Academy has moved to school buildings, according to school officials.
If school board members approve the project, construction on the two buildings would begin in the summer. The Wellness Center would be an upgrade over the previous space for staff wellness that is currently located in a house at 2943 Morgantown Road just south of the high school. That space has a failing septic system and limited room for services, Long said.
The new building will allow Center Grove schools to keep many wellness services in-house, which would save money on the district’s health insurance plan. The Wellness Center will also have rooms that are more sound-proof, allowing more privacy during consultations, Long said.
“We’ll have a space utilized for physical therapy for our staff. They’ll be able to walk on a treadmill or ride a bike. We’ll also have a classroom space where we might teach a lesson on yoga,” he said. “Our hope is the Wellness Center will help attract and retain teachers and provide good quality mental health care for our staff and family members.”
The hitting facility will provide an indoor practice space for teams that otherwise have to contend with inclement weather. It will also allow the golf teams to practice without the fees that come along with renting out a course, which is typically paid by the student golfers’ families, Long said.
“The hitting facility will bring our facilities up to speed with other sports that have their own facilities,” he said. “It gives our kids an opportunity to practice and get better year-round. It’s a level playing field for them.”
