The Oak Park-River Forest (Illinois) district has begun work on construction of a $102 million physical education wing at Oak Park-River Forest High School in Oak Park.
The Wednesday Journal of Oak Park and River Forest reports that the so-called Project 2 will will include a new swimming pool as part of a total demolition of the physical education facilities at the southeast corner of the Scoville Avenue campus.
The district says the new wing will have:
● Larger, multiuse gyms that also can serve as a competition spaces
● A 25-yard-by-40-yard pool to replace two 1928 pools, which are at the end of their life
● All-gender locker rooms for gender non-conforming students
● An elevator that complies with accessibility requirements
● A multipurpose/dance gym to replace the existing studio
● A weight room that addresses capacity limitations
● PE classrooms, PE and athletics offices, PE equipment storage, and a conference room
● A new treatment room for athletic trainers
● Boys locker rooms to replace the existing ones, which have a host of problems (poor ventilation, plumbing problems, inadequate toilet space)
● Girls locker rooms, to address space and privacy issues
● Student commons and pre-function space for students waiting for activities or rides and spectators
● Improvements to the performing arts green room, which is not functional for student needs
The construction is scheduled for completion by summer 2026.
The architect is FGM Architects.
