Sparta Area School District staff presented preliminary renderings and details of a Sparta High School facility project at a school board meeting, outlining proposed athletics, locker and support spaces and stressing the plans are subject to change. "We're looking at having about a 30 yard turf across the width of the facility," the presenter said, describing uses such as sled work and running drills.

The renderings shown include an enlarged weight/fitness area with a 30-yard turf strip, a proposed pair of athletic locker rooms that the presenter said would accommodate roughly 150 lockers, four private ADA-compliant shower stalls, a choir room at the back of the cafeteria with mirrored walls and curtains for multipurpose use, and a redesigned main entry with a staffed, buzz-in office. "All renderings are subject to change," the presenter said.

Why it matters: the design changes would affect student athletic routines, crowds at events and how the building meets safety and accessibility codes. Board members pressed staff on how specific rooms will be used during athletic events, how visitors would be served and whether interior spaces meet storm-shelter requirements.

Details and board questions

The presenter described the weight room layout and said it is intended for both athletes and the general student population. On locker-room capacity he said the design goal is for "enough for a 150 lockers." He described the planned shower area as "4 private stalls, with the ADA accessibility." On the choir room he said it could double as a dance or multipurpose studio when risers are removed.

A board member asked, "What specifically is a mudroom?" The presenter replied the mudroom is an equipment area for football in the fall — "where you're gonna put your helmet and shoulder pads" — and said the space is intended as a multipurpose gathering area in other seasons. The presenter said the mudroom currently has about 80 spaces and the design could add 24 portable lockers, and that equipment would be moved to basement storage when the season ends.

Miss Lopez asked whether visitor locker rooms will be provided and whether locker-room spaces could be used for storm sheltering. The presenter said visiting teams could use the AA gym's locker rooms when needed and that the locker rooms are likely to function as interior storm-shelter spaces because they would not have windows. "We can confirm that, but I'm that's part of all the codes and everything like that, but we can make sure that we can bring that up specifically on Wednesday," the presenter said.

Process and next steps

District staff said design work and partner coordination continue on a weekly basis with the firms listed in the presentation. The presenter said the district plans a 45-minute facility workshop immediately before the district's annual meeting to show renderings and answer questions; staff also said construction timing in the consultant's view makes the next six to seven weeks important for design details. The presenter emphasized the materials shown were draft renderings and remain subject to revision.

Board members and staff did not adopt a final design at the meeting; several clarifications were assigned to staff, including confirming storm-shelter capacity and code compliance at the next scheduled check-in.