Running the Survey

This project needed to combine the wants and needs of both the city of Marion and the USD 408 Marion-Florence School district. They desired a gym that was not so big it felt empty during regular use, yet big enough to host a sub-state tournament – 2,000 seats. This complex also was to replace the city’s outdoor pool and provide a year-round venue for competitive swimming, a water playground and exercise facility. Future options to add a weight room and outdoor pool were planned to make the venue a complete, one-stop recreation facility for the entire community. Working diligently with the designer, city, school district and subcontractors, all aspects were successfully worked into the project.

Laying the Foundation

The project got off to a rocky start as the pool and gym excavation hit rock, literally. This didn’t deter progress however, and we saved some of the excavated stone to use as landscape boulders at the completion of the project. Winter set in early that fall so to maximize the available days, we changed the construction sequence to accelerate the closing in of the building. The pool was finished and opened for the summer, and the gymnasium was completed with plenty of time for fall sports to begin.

The Finishing Touches

Operating a facility such as this was top-of-mind for the school district and city. The building was equipped with a solar heater and an innovative water treatment system that has kept operation cost to a minimum. The gym was designed with two HVAC systems that operate economically, both when the gym is occupied and when it is empty. From the huge mascot that graces the gym floor to the pool slide that exits the corner of the building, and to the warm and inviting lobby, this is a facility that the school district and the whole city can enjoy.