Worthington board hears final push on Thomas Worthington rebuild; natatorium declared complete
Loading...
Summary
District officials told the Worthington Board of Education the natatorium is finished and the high school rebuild is entering final phases: a 10-lane, 21,000-square-foot pool and athletic and fine-arts additions are nearly complete; fields should be playable in March and several interior spaces are scheduled for December and spring finishes.
The Worthington Board of Education received a detailed construction update on Nov. 12 from project staff and district leaders outlining final work on the new natatorium and the Thomas Worthington High School rebuild. Presenters said the natatorium is complete and in active use, and the overall high-school project is in its last construction phases.
District presenter Mr. Dingledine said the natatorium evolved from an original plan for an 8-lane, roughly 16,000-square-foot facility into a 10-lane, 21,000-square-foot building with dedicated competition lanes, water-polo space, two diving wells and larger back-of-house and locker-room support. "We ended up with that 10 lane 25 yard pool...and a lot of supporting facilities," he said, adding the design allows simultaneous swim, dive and water-polo activities.
Emily, a district representative involved with Swim Inc., noted Swim Inc. will continue to manage pool operations and community programs including lap swim, masters swimming and certification courses. She said the design increases community access and anticipated the pool will host conference and tournament events this winter.
The board heard a phase-by-phase timeline: paving and final grading in the north parking area are scheduled in November, site seeding in mid-December, and the auxiliary gym and auditorium work is expected to be substantially complete by early December with additional finishes into spring. Athletic fields and turf work are on track to be playable by March. Project staff repeatedly told trustees the bond-funded work remains under budget.
Trustees pressed for operational details: pick-up/drop-off traffic patterns near the new Fine Arts entrance, guardrail and fall-safety measures for outdoor commons, and restroom access. Dingledine said the guardrail on the outdoor student commons is 44 inches high and the project includes nine additional full-size restrooms with accessible stalls.
The presentation ended with staff offering to circulate the final slide deck to the board and to return with any outstanding schedule clarifications; trustees thanked the team for finishing under budget and for prioritizing safety and program flexibility.

