Plans for Roseville High School’s new auxiliary gym are in the process of being finalized and construction will begin in Fall 2018 or Spring 2019 with a projected opening in January 2020.

This project results from Measure D funding and is being designed by district architects, maintenance and operations staff, superintendents, and administration. Once all decisions have been made, the plans will be submitted to the Division of State Architects (DSA) to be approved or revised.

Although the initial planning for the new structure has been completed, assistant superintendent Joe Landon anticipates approval of the design in Fall 2018.

“The planning is going very well it just takes a lot of time,” Landon said. “It’s a long process to go through the DSA, probably for a project this size it will take about six months. The design is reviewed, it may be changed, and once we get a full design by our architect that is approved by the state we can go ahead and start construction.”

According to assistant principal Jason Wilson there is an upcoming meeting to decide details of the new building and sees this as an opportunity to learn and move forward with the design.

“We’re starting to work on a lot of the detail,” Wilson said. “Everything comes with decisions and now we’ll start getting into more collaborative decision making about specifics. I’ve learned a lot through this process of helping with the development of a building.”

The auxiliary gym will be located in the current staff 900s parking lot.

“It’s going to match a lot of the exteriors to try and blend in but it will also bring a little modern shape and flow.” Wilson said.

There will be a redesign of the area surrounding the new gym due to the elimination of the staff parking lot. Six portables will be taken out and the location will be used as a staging area for construction. It will later become additional parking spaces for staff.

The current small gym will continue to function as an area for RHS athletic and PE programs until a decision is made about how to use the space given the proper funding and district approval.
Wilson believes there is potential in the building, but acknowledges that action will be delayed due to the construction of the new gym.

“We have a lot of hopes and wishes,” Wilson said. “We could always use additional space for classrooms especially because we’re building our programs of study. We are in the process of testing the structure itself to see what can be done with it but it too will require funding and partnership with the district office.”

The auxiliary gym will include a new girl’s locker room and team room and will have instructional space to be utilized by wrestling team, dance team, cheer team, and PE classes. The building will also have the capacity to host events such as wrestling, basketball, and volleyball tournaments.

PE teacher Cindy Simon is excited for the new facility and believes it will be a positive change from the current small gym.

“I know that as a department we’re super thankful and very excited,” Simon said. “I mean we are in one of the oldest buildings in Roseville and it’s not quite up to par. So we’re excited to have a clean, new area to work with.”

Speaking from her former experience as a volleyball coach, Simon expects the new facility to be particularly beneficial for volleyball teams.

“It will definitely help the flow of volleyball, when there is a specific volleyball gym it is smaller and the crowd gets more involved because they’re closer to the court,” Simon said. “I think the comradery is better when you have that smaller facility for a volleyball game.”