GCCS superintendent Lochner previews $50 million natatorium and River Ridge middle school timeline

Greater Clark County Schools (GCCS) Superintendent Mr. Lochner told the School of Talk podcast that the district’s new natatorium is progressing and remains scheduled to finish in October or November, in time for the swim season. "I just walked through it last week, and it looks fantastic," he said, adding the project has faced typical construction challenges such as materials and labor shortages but is being managed.

Lochner provided specifications for the facility: the project is about 76,000 square feet and costs just under $50,000,000. It will include a 50‑meter, 10‑lane competition pool, a zero‑entry therapy pool, four swimming locker rooms plus additional locker rooms for the football and track teams, a training room and other support spaces. "It’s going to be a very unique facility in Southern Indiana," he said, and the district has already made contacts with USA Swimming and received interest from teams in neighboring Kentucky.

The superintendent said the natatorium is expected to host large events that will bring revenue to the school system and local businesses, helping with maintenance costs: "When these people come here to swim in this facility, they're gonna stay in the local hotels... they're gonna eat at the local restaurants and shop locally."

Lochner said the district plans to convert the existing (old) pool into a weight room once the new facility opens. The renovation will include expanded lifting racks, free weights, cardio equipment, an upgraded wrestling area and refurbished locker rooms and flooring. "We've actually spent the last six months working on a design to convert the old pool," he said; work will begin after the new natatorium opens.

On nearby athletics infrastructure, Lochner said the natatorium project includes building a new road and creating roughly 200 additional parking spaces near the tennis and auxiliary facilities to handle increased event traffic.

Lochner also reviewed other district construction: River Ridge Middle School will house about 1,000–1,100 students with theater, band and choir classrooms, two competition gyms, six tennis courts, an eight‑lane track and a turf field; he set its completion date for July 2027 and said Parkview Middle School students will move there when it opens. Founders Point Elementary is also expected to be completed in July 2027 and will redistribute elementary feeder patterns.

The superintendent framed the construction program as both a response to aging facilities and to projected local enrollment growth. He said GCCS is holding onto Parkview property for future rebuilding needs and anticipates additional growth in the Charlestown area over the next 5–10 years that may require further capacity projects.

The interview closed with Lochner thanking the hosts; no board votes or formal approvals were announced on the program.