Construction of Union Schools' Activity Center on schedule

Money is tight for many area schools, but Union Public Schools continues to make progress on its multi-million dollar activity center. <br><br>Union High School officials say that's because of community

Friday, September 13th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Money is tight for many area schools, but Union Public Schools continues to make progress on its multi-million dollar activity center.

Union High School officials say that's because of community support not state dollars. Mark Robertson, Executive Director of Support Services, "Its really going to be a multipurpose facility where we can do fine arts, as well as athletics, as well as instructional programs."

When the dust settles, Union's new facility will house a 5,600 seat arena, four basketball courts, a fitness center, a climbing wall and a jogging track. Not to mention class and meeting rooms. And officials say Union students need every one of the 50,000 square feet. "We lacked floor space for a lot of our extra-curricular activities to practice and do events.â€

Construction of the $22-million facility may seem out of place in a district struggling with a shortfall in state money. But the district passed two bond issues to pay for the center. "Our community has been outstanding. I think this is a testament to our community that we are able to have facilities of this nature."

Robertson says the community support for extras, like the activity center, helps support the basics. "We try to as a district we try to get as much as we can out of our bond dollars to free up the general fund dollars to pay salary and things like that so we can keep our general fund dollars in the classroom." Robertson also says not just Union students will benefit from the new center. "We hope to bring concerts here and outside speakers and things of those nature as well as some sporting events, basketball, volleyball, and things like that to invite our community into the facility."

So far, construction is on schedule for Union's Multipurpose Activity Center. It's supposed to open fall of 2003.