The Kaskaskia College Board of Trustees took action Monday night toward the construction of a new on-campus gymnasium that could be in place as soon as late 2025.
Board members approved a design for the building and approved a motion to authorize KC President George Evans to solicit bids for the construction of the new gym. Evans says school officials hope to hold a bid opening no later than August and to start construction within 30 to 45 days after the bid opening.
“We’re looking to break ground as soon as possible after the bids come in and are approved by the board, with the goal of getting in there for athletic events either late 2025 or spring of 2026. We are obviously going to do the best that we can to try to get in there November or December of 2025, but you never can tell with weather (and) different scenarios.”
The new gymnasium is expected to cost approximately $13 million to $13.5 million, which will be covered by a combination of funding sources including bond money, Protection Health and Safety funds and the college’s cash reserves. The gym will have a seating capacity of around 1,400, which is slightly more than the current gym holds. Evans says the new facility will create more opportunities for KC athletics and for events such as career fairs and will be a noticeable upgrade over the current gym.
“It will be a little bit bigger, from a playing standpoint, where we can run two vertical courts for tournaments, if need be, for volleyball or basketball. We can run side by side. The seating will be more ADA compliant … and it’s really going to be digitally and technologically more advanced, with obviously the scoreboard system, but also just the way the geothermal is set up, the lighting and the construction of it.”
The current KC gym was built in the early 1970s. School officials plan to keep that gymnasium in place to host athletic tournaments and other events.
In personnel action, the board approved the hiring of Marcus Abston as Assistant Professor of Biology and Emily Eilers as Financial Aid Advisor/Veteran’s Services Coordinator. The board accepted the resignation of Adam Wilson as a Buildings and Grounds Technician and the retirement notice of KC Director of Purchasing and Auxiliary Services Craig Roper effective in January of next year.
Shown is a rendering of the interior of the planned gymnasium at Kaskaskia College.
