By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
That unpleasant odor may not be a rotting sandwich in the bottom of your teen’s backpack, or a sweaty pair of gym shoes under the bed. It could be emanating directly from your student.
Bowling Green Board of Education was notified Tuesday that the high school boys locker room showers have been out of commission since last year. According to head custodian Chuck Martin, the bar joist under the floor of the shower area is starting to collapse. So the showers have been off limits to boys in physical education classes and varsity sports.
Martin attributed the problem to poor design when the locker room showers were built in the early 1960s. Moisture and steam leaks are causing supports to bend.
“There are cracks in the walls that are three-quarter inch wide,” he said.
The locker rooms are safe to use – just not the showers.
Board members asked where the boys are showering at school after gym or athletics. Bowling Green Superintendent Francis Scruci answered – they aren’t.
Scruci compared the problem to the football bleachers that were replaced last year after the district became aware of rusting issues. “They are rusting from the inside out,” he said.
“Outside the building looks great,” Scruci said of the high school. But a closer look inside reveals some problems.
Like the bleachers, the fix for the shower room won’t be cheap. A new floor will need to be put in, Scruci said.
Preliminary estimates for fixing the problem are somewhere in the $200,000s or $300,000s. A presentation of the project will be given to the board of education during the February board meeting. Scruci said he hopes the district can go out for bids on the project in March.
