Whitefish High gym-floor project delayed

After just two years of use, the Whitefish High School gym floor is being replaced because of worsening performance problems, but the replacement project has run into delays this summer.

As a result, the volleyball season schedule has been revised.

The season will commence with away matches through September.

Home matches have been rescheduled to October.

Volleyball practices will be held at Whitefish Middle School and Glacier High School until mid-October. Players will be bused to Glacier and back. The first day of practice will be at 8 a.m. Friday at Whitefish Middle School. The first home game against Polson is slated Oct. 10.

Physical education classes also will be relocated until mid-October. This shouldn’t be a problem considering classes have access to weight, cardio, wrestling and multipurpose rooms in addition to the outdoors, according to Whitefish High School Principal Kerry Drown.

Demolition on the floor began immediately after school let out in June with the expectation that the project would take several months, administrators said. But the moisture level in the replacement hardwood was too high to start installation.

“Ensuring a high-quality, safe, and long-lasting gym floor is our highest priority and we appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding,” a press release from school administrators stated.

 The floor, which was partly paid for through a state Quality Schools Grant, will be replaced under a manufacturer’s warranty at no cost to the district.

Everything is staged and ready to be installed and Drown said crews arrived Monday to continue installation.

Problems with the gym floor became apparent soon after it was initially installed in June 2013. Drown said he was told by contractors who installed the floor to wait a year for the floor “to settle” and adapt to the environment, but the situation did not improve.

The primary problem was what Drown describes as “dead spots.” A basketball, for example, would bounce higher in one area and lower in others.

“After it was first installed, there were some inconsistencies,” Drown said.

To mitigate the problem, a heavier-duty subfloor has been installed, according to Drown.

Another problem with the floor was a prematurely dulling finish.

“After the first year it looked like an aged floor. It did not wear well,” Drown said, adding that painted areas, such as the school mascot, began to crack as floor boards shifted.

The school gym was remodeled for approximately $850,000 as part of a $23 million high school renovation completed in 2014.

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or by email at hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.