close

Historic Wash High gymnasium getting upgrade

2 min read
article image -

Throughout the course of pregame announcements and introductions for Washington High School basketball games, a phrase public address announcer Brad Langerman will always utter is “the historic Wash High gymnasium.”

It is a gymnasium that oozes with history, from the individual wooden stadium seats to the Columbia Blue banners that hang from the wall.

History will get a makeover in the next few weeks as the district has approved replacement of the gymnasium floor – a project that was last done in the late 1980s. Work on the project has already started.

“We knew it was coming to the end of its life,” Washington athletic director Mike Bosnic said. “Just over the last couple of years it really needed to be looked at. The current situation actually gave us some leeway to be able to get this project done with the facilities not being used. It was a great floor but it’s time to be replaced.”

Currently in the demolition phase, Bosnic said there isn’t a specific deadline to the project but once everything gets cleaned up and taken out that it’s about a 15-day process of getting the new floor laid down.

The floor that has stood the test of time since the late 1980s was constructed out of oak wood, another aspect that has made the gymnasium unique. Most gymnasium floors are maple wood. According to Bosnic, a maple floor was put down but was damaged. The oak wood floor was constructed with wood that was donated.

“It’s one of the most historic gyms in Western Pennsylvania,” Bosnic said. “We are going to try and do something to bring out the unique venue and updating it while keeping its historic look.”

The final plans of what the new floor will look like have yet to be finalized.

The project, which is being done by Sports Floors Inc., is expected to cost anywhere from $110,000 to $125,000.

“The board is excited. Administration is excited. We are all really excited,” Bosnic said. “We want the floor to tie into the history and uniqueness.”

CUSTOMER LOGIN

If you have an account and are registered for online access, sign in with your email address and password below.

NEW CUSTOMERS/UNREGISTERED ACCOUNTS

Never been a subscriber and want to subscribe, click the Subscribe button below.

Starting at $3.75/week.

Subscribe Today