Smaller activity center is chosen for Oak Park High School
By Michael Picarella
Acorn Staff Writer

Oak Park Unified School District (OPUSD) has come up with a plan to move ahead on an Activity Center for Oak Park High School.

Priorities had to be set on several possible projects earlier this year because funding wasn’t available to complete all of them.

Some residents were upset about building an OPHS Activity Center instead of a theater building, which they claimed would better satisfy the needs of Oak Park.

But the Activity Center is now apparently set in stone, despite a non-OPUSD related effort to get a theater built in Oak Park.

District officials say they expect no more debates over the theater option.

In fact, the Activity Center is the top priority on a list of six building projects. The school board recently voted to award a contract for $501,300 for architectural services (including design development, construction documents, bidding and construction administration) to Fields Devereaux Architects and Engineers.

The OPHS Activity Center, which will sit adjacent to the gym on the school’s Kanan Road campus, has an estimated cost of between $2.7 and $2.8 million, according to Ralph Walker, Fields Devereaux spokesman. Walker said the job will soon be open to bids soon.

The structure will be 15,000 square feet, but according to Walker, some options may have to be deleted.

"We haven’t decided what they’ll be yet," said Walker.

Based on the bids, it’s possible that several options might initially be excluded to save money, but could be added back within six months to a year.

At a recent school board meeting, Fields Devereaux unveiled details on the Activity Center. Included in the architect’s presentation were swatches of materials and colors for the interior and exterior. OPUSD boardmembers said they were pleased with the work already accomplished. Board president Jim Kalember asked eighth-graders who watched the presentation if they liked what they saw. The new facility, Kalember said, will be theirs to enjoy when it’s finally built.

Walker said that if all goes well with the bidding, construction would begin in September. Completion is expected in fall of 2002. Assistant Superintendent Martin Klauss said he was happy to focus on a single project instead of several.

Not in the OPUSD timeline yet are modular classrooms, a district administrative building, an administrative structure at OPHS and a pair of buildings at Brookside Elementary School, among other projects. Funds for these projects aren’t now available, but the projects haven’t been dropped.

According to Superintendent Marilyn Lippiatt, the Activity Center was redesigned at least four times to reduce construction costs. Walker said the same process has to occur with most projects.

OPHS needs space desperately for performing arts, meeting rooms and band and theater classrooms. For these and other reasons, the Activity Center has become a top priority at the high school.