Meeker Elementary gym reopens

MEEKER I After more than a month, the gym at the new Meeker Elementary School has reopened.
The gym was closed Oct. 6 because of safety concerns after it was discovered the east wall had shifted away from the roof. The gym remained closed while repairs were made.
“We have received the report from the Neenan engineers, verifying that the work has been completed to secure the gym and that it is safe to occupy,” Principal Jason Hightower said Nov. 9. “We have also received our temporary certificate of occupancy from the state to allow occupancy of the gym space. We were back in the gym holding classes as of (last Tuesday) morning, just in time for the weather.”
Neenan Company, the general contractor for the new school, said in a statement Oct. 26 it “under-designed the wall system for the required horizontal pressure, which resulted in unforeseen exterior wall movement and failure of the structural connections at the top of the wall.”
The Neenan Company also announced it had extended its warranty on the new school from two to four years.
— Jeff Burkhead