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Saturday, February 10, 2007

Athletic Supporter Gets My Vote?

Yesterday's Madison Daily Leader's lead story is the $5.83 million bond issue to build a new gym (excuse me: "event center"). The Madison Central School Board appears ready to vote at its upcoming meeting Monday to put the issue before the district's voters on April 10. Gym booster Darin Namken, a member of the gym (excuse me: competition complex) feasibility committee, issued a press release Thursday to promote the project. The article (not published online -- sorry, linkophiles!) quotes Namken as closing his press release with the following enthusiastic assurance:

The new events center will meet the needs of ALL [sic] the district's school activities for years to come and will 'Give Madison Pride a Home' [get ready for the campaign slogan] for the first time in the district's history.

All the district's activities? Does that mean this "event center" includes a new theater for Doc Miller's outstanding plays to replace the current stage, which hasn't been upgraded since the school was built over 40 years ago? Do the band, chorus, and show choir get expanded practice and storage facilities? Does the debate team get a practice and research room to replace the debate room that was turned into a computer lab a decade ago? If this "event center" really will serve "ALL" (remember, those are Namken's caps) of the district's school activities, then I'll be voting yes.

However, if the pending resolution's text is accurate, the "event center" plans include "gym, restrooms, locker rooms, lobby, press area, concessions, training rooms, laundry room, offices, storage area, and mechanical room." Hmmm... I don't see "theater" in there, and I've got a feeling there won't be flutes or briefcases in the training rooms or storage area. But maybe the board will amend that oversight Monday night. There's always hope!

3 comments:

  1. The Mundt tournament this year had slightly over 400 entries. That is down from the previous years I worked the tournament...but this event center doesn't seem big enough for our needs.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Isn't that the way it is in all school districts? Most of the money goes to the atheletic programs. I feel there is way too much emphasis on atheletics.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Glad to see things never change.

    Why would Madison need a theater when there's a gym to build? Why didn't someone think to build a bigger gym when they built the middle school? They moved girls high school sports there that first year it opened. They should have known.

    I guess I'm not necessarily opposed to a new gym, but what about the other needs?

    Like a real theater for a real theater program?

    I'd vote for that in a heartbeat, if I could.

    ReplyDelete

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