Two years ago, construction on the Home of the Bruins began to go underway and consequently affected our school lives
The student body has had to walk up the long and extensive “Cattle Shoot” to be able to get into the building, as well as having to park in the gravel lot because bulldozers and cranes have occupied the space closest to the school.
If you are a freshman, you will have to be a victim to these changes and phases throughout your entire high school career, because this construction is predicted to be completely finished in 2027.
Two years from now, in 2025, phase one of the construction is predicted to be finished. Phase one includes the addition that is happening at the front of the school.
Currently, this is the only phase of construction that has been funded by the Board of Education. Together the project will cost around 40 million dollars.
“Technically, that’s [phase 2] not even been approved. The board has said they want to do, they intend to do it, but cost is always a factor,” said Principal Tim Isaacs.
Phase 2 of the construction plan will involve rebuilding and remodeling the 300s and 400s hallways.
Which will not be the best news for incoming freshmen in 2024.
There is a possibility they will be taught at a completely different school, due to there not being a place for them to be at Central.
Those students will either be getting their education at the old Lincoln Trial Elementary School or the old East Hardin Middle School. This will take place for a full year.
Though incoming freshmen will have to undergo the most changes when it comes to the construction process, they are not the only ones.
In fact, if you are not a senior, the years to come will be full of change and transformation. This means the way we enter and exit the school.
Currently, the door between English teacher Kayla Ernst’s room and the stairwell to the 200s hallway is a three-foot drop right below it. This means that in emergencies, this will not be a place where students and faculty can exit/enter.
Admin will now have to think of another door that the 100s hallway classrooms can go out of, while also making sure it is efficient, fast, and safe.
This is however not the only change.
Right now, we are entering the “add-on” to the school that has been worked on for years.
This could change in a month, in a year, or even in two days. It is inevitable and a part of the process to make the Bruin Den a better place to learn.
“Things will continue to change,” Isaacs said. “It’s just the nature of this.”
Some students here at Central do not understand the “nature” of this process though.
Often they are annoyed with the different routes they have to take to get from one part of the building to another. As understandable as that is, we needed this construction.
“There’s a lot going on that you all don’t see,” Isaacs said. “Some parts of the plumbing in this building are literally crumbling.”
Due to the school being built poorly in the 70s, Isaacs has had to make a lot of decisions about what he can do to make this school a better environment for everyone who walks through the door.
Isaacs is ecstatic about the big gym floor finally being done.
“If you don’t like it [the gym floor] then please don’t tell me,” said Isaacs.
We can now finally have more of our sports teams play at home with the progress that has been made. The girls’ soccer and volleyball teams have recently gotten to play’ at home, when they have not had a stable practicing/game area, for so long.
Through all of this construction and all of the modifications that come with it, the changes will significantly help improve the conditions of our school in the future.
No matter what differences we have to take on as students, this will always remain the Home of the Bruins.
