A group of residents in Clancy is seeking to breathe some new life into an old structure — and the revival is taking a bit longer than expected.
The Clancy Community Center Revival Committee has been working since 2019 to turn the building known as “the old gym” adjacent to the Old Red Schoolhouse into an event venue. It had aimed to begin repairs this winter. But — not unexpectedly for a 58-year-old structure that has sat mostly unused since the 1980s — unexpected problems have emerged.
Inspections using unmanned aerial vehicles (otherwise known as drones), contractors determined that the steel roof is generally in good shape. But leaks apparently were coming from deteriorating seals around the skylights and chimney vents. Resealing the vents doesn’t appear to be a big challenge, but the skylights posed a different issue. “The building is a Butler steel building,” said committee member Chad Parks, “And even though they are still in business, they no longer build this particular style.” That means that replacement skylights that are the correct size are not available. It appears new covers for the skylights will need to be custom built.
The committee hopes to make a decision on a roofing contractor at its next meeting on Feb. 14, and for that work to start soon thereafter. Estimates for the roof repair were around $50,000.
Once the roof leaks have been sealed, a modern vinyl flooring surface will be laid on the bare concrete floor. The flooring is expected to be easy to maintain, be durable, and provide some cushioning to visiting feet. Lines for basketball and volleyball courts will be painted on the new surface, and holes drilled into the concrete floor to support net posts for both volleyball and tennis.
The committee said that flooring estimates have ranged from $28,000 to over $100,000. The committee is seeking more information from the vendors on the scope of work reflected by their estimates before selecting a contractor. Work on the floor can begin once roof repairs start.
The committee did find the inside plumbing was in reasonably good shape and probably does not need much additional work. A bigger decision is whether or not to keep the showers for the gym as they are, or come up with a different design. Northwestern Energy has said it could help install new, brighter LED lights for the gym interior, replacing decades-old fluorescent lighting.
The gym, first opened in 1965, was the gathering place for many school gym classes, sporting and community events in the past. After the new elementary school was built in the 1980’s, the old gym fell into disuse. While called into action on rare occasions – such as hosting quilt shows and soapbox derbies during Clancy Days.
While the Community Center idea has attracted attention and even some early inquiries about booking it for use, there is still much to be accomplished. Much of that will involve fund raising for the initial restoration work and for ongoing maintenance.
Ali Mandell from MadAve Communications in Clancy took the role of public relations and fund raising for the Community Center Revival. Mandell told other committee members some donations have already been made, including a $5,000 contribution from Ashgrove Cement, and $70,000 available from ARPA grants. Work is being done to create a social media presence to help get the word out on the restoration effort, plus a letter writing campaign to help raise funds.
Meanwhile, committee member Carly Delsigne of the North Jefferson County Library has asked the community for photographs showing the old gym in its glory years. The committee hopes that some of the historical photos might one day decorate the walls of the remodeled interior. Original photos will be scanned and returned to their owners; electronic versions of photos can be emailed to: clancylibrary@gmail.com.
