Opinion Column
As I toured the Elmore City-Pernell gymnasium for my Jan. 9 article, I felt like I had been transported into the movie “Hoosiers” instead of visiting a 21st century currently operational gym.
From the architectural style of the building to the wooden stands to the lack of space around the out-ofbounds line to the built-in scorer’s table, the gym resembles the stylings of the '50s. (FYI, the ECP gym was built in the mid-1950s, and the Milan, Ind., basketball team that inspired the movie “Hoosiers” won the state championship in 1954.)
As someone who has identified as both a gym rat and a history nerd, 'Hoosiers' is one of my favorite movies, and I enjoyed my tour of the ECP gym. The Badgers have done a great job honoring their history in displays, in addition to the age of the gym. I could feel the sports history throughout the building.
However, that does not necessarily make it a good place to have current games. Maintaining a safe and functioning building has become an ongoing and costly issue, and the district would be better off hosting games and other events in a newer facility.
That newer facility is now the issue facing voters within the Elmore City-Pernell Public Schools District. If approved, the bond for $19.79 million would be used to build a larger, more accessible gym with new fixtures at the current location of the football practice field.
As far as I know, the school board members have not decided what to do with the old gym in the event a new gym is approved and built. However, I look forward to seeing what they come up with. I myself have experienced a few different options.
In high school, the girls and boys team would alternate each week who practiced in the new gym and who practiced in the old gym, which we referred to as the “Hot Box.” In college, we had two former gyms: one that had been renovated and attached to the library as a study and archive space and another that was used for exercise courses and club sport practices. The ECP school board has a few ways they might be able to utilize the old gym, in the event that the voters pass the bond issue.
As a reporter who covers games and other events in the Elmore City-Pernell district, a new gym would make that job easier. For example, more room on the sidelines would make it easier to take courtside photos, and new stands where everyone has a seat would provide better, more comfortable views of all the events the school hosts in the gym, from basketball games to band and choir performances to the annual Veterans Day program.
I hope the voters within the school district see the potential a new gym could have in their community, and the school board is able to move forward in a way that both respects the history while moving forward with newer and larger facilities.
