Lake Central High School is throwing open its doors to the Tri-Town community from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday to give voters and taxpayers a chance to see the results of its mammoth renovation and construction project.
There will be a 30-minute presentation by the administration at 12:30 p.m. in the Town Square area of the building near the cafeteria and light refreshments will be served. Tours will be offered of the football, baseball, and softball fields, the auditorium, performing arts wing, library commons, gymnasium, town square, pool and three-story academic building.
“We know our parents have had the opportunity to walk through the building, but we have not formally invited the rest of the general public in yet. We really think this is a golden opportunity for them to take a look. Hopefully people will come out before the (Bears) game. We want to thank the taxpayers and the voters for supporting this,” said Superintendent Larry Veracco.
Veracco has always been direct about mentioning the role of voters and taxpayers when he talks about the project that followed the successful second try for a St. John Township referendum in 2011.
Voters approved a 14.5 cents tax per $100 of assessed valuation to raise $160 million. About $30 million of that was used for the Protsman Elementary School project. The balance went to Lake Central High School for the project prompted by community growth and the need to stay abreast of educational technology. Architect Schmidt & Associates along with construction managers Turner Construction and Powers & Son kicked off construction in the summer of 2012.
“The only thing that is not completely done is the auditorium. That is still a construction zone, but it is 75 percent there. We are in pretty good shape and pretty confident we will be in there by Nov. 1,” said Veracco. Visitors will be able to take a look inside that area to get an idea of what is to come.
He also said visitors will have a chance to walk by the new administration offices where staff will relocate later this month. The administrative staff has been housed in a building on the north side of the campus, but following the move, the building is expected to be razed.
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Nancy Coltun Webster is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.