Rancho Santa Fe School board receives update on gymnasium

The Rancho Santa Fe School District board continues to discuss its options with R. Roger Rowe School’s aging gym facility. At the Jan. 7 board meeting, the board members learned if they opt to do nothing, over the next five years it would cost $623,000 to maintain the existing facility, which would include repairs to the roof, beams, walls and maintaining the gym floor.

Debra Vaughn-Cleff, of Webb Cleff Architecture and Engineering, said without any repairs, the useful life of the existing building is five to 10 years. The building can continue to operate under the code under which it was constructed in 1973, but any revisions to the structure would trigger an accessibility upgrade for it to be in compliance with the Americans with Disability Act (ADA).

Per the district’s master plan approved in December, the current gym is undersized for physical education activities and the dance and wrestling programs need their own spaces — dance is currently taught in a teacher training room and wrestling occurs at the community center.

The board has considered both a two-court and three-court new gym facility, which would include the amenities of wrestling and dance rooms, and locker and changing rooms . The two-court option is estimated at $16.2 million while a three-court option would be about $19 million.

As Superintendent Lindy Delaney noted, the architecture of the new gym is proposed to be a beautiful building that fits in with the rest of the campus façade and that does come with a higher price tag than just building a box.

Financing options for the new facility include private funding or going for a general obligation bond in June or November 2016 or 2018. Should the district opt for a 2016 bond, the bond language would need to be prepared by March for the June election or by August for the November election.

Delaney said she plans to bring the item back to the board with further information in February.