Toms River buildings-and-grounds update: bubble replacement, repaired switch gear and completed gym floor

At Monday’s buildings-and-grounds meeting, district facilities staff reported progress on multiple capital and maintenance projects across Toms River schools.

A facilities presenter said the year’s capital project — replacement and re-skinning of the Hooper Avenue inflatable 'bubble' and replacement of the interior floor — is on schedule: the fabric and cables arrived the morning of the meeting, crews expect to begin inflating the bubble next week weather permitting, and interior floor work should be completed by the end of November in time for December events.

Officials also reported an electrical switch-gear failure at Intermediate North over the summer that caused smoke and a temporary loss of air conditioning. The presenter said JCP&L carried out the corrective work on the 25th (before school began) and staff are proposing engineers for long-term boiler replacement work funded from the district’s capital reserve.

Other completed work noted by facilities staff included floor repairs at High School East, resurfacing and repainting of the High School South gym floor, removal of a deteriorated concrete canopy on Hooper Avenue (with possible reuse of vertical columns as a pergola), and pending electrical work to power a front sign at Intermediate East once mark-out is complete to avoid pavement disruption. A routine groundwater well test at Pine Beach was completed with no issues reported.

Board members asked about out lights at High School South; the presenter said crews tried twice to secure a 110-foot boom before the last home game, briefly considered using a fire department ladder but rejected it because of weight concerns, and said the repair will be completed as soon as the equipment is available. A public-comment period opened after the committee’s business; no members of the public spoke.