The new Weirton Elementary School, for Hancock County Schools, includes a 5,460 SF gymnasium with an adjacent storage room to hold all of the gym equipment needs.
There are multiple activities to be housed in this gym, including sports, health, and physical education.
There is an adjoining 850 SF stage (on the same level as the gym floor) with proscenium opening, and an adjacent storage room for all equipment needs. This includes stage curtain and valance, along with an Smartboard for interactive learning.
There are paint schemes for a 40’x60’ basketball court and a 30’x60’ volleyball court. There are basketball backboards and hoops, along with wall safety padded mats centered behind the backboards. The scale of this gymnasium, having a clear interior ceiling height of 20’ at the sides sloping upwards to over 28’ at the center, allows for the volleyball (and other activities’) playing space to be free from any obstructions.
The center of the gym contains an electrically operated gym divider “curtain” to allow simultaneously gym usage by multiple classes. There are retractable bleachers with seating for 500, with 3 sections for wheelchair and companion seat spaces; when the bleachers are collapsed, it creates multi-use space and can be used as a shared space with its adjacency to the cafeteria. The gym has a sound system and outlets for microphones on several walls.
There are also some special environmental considerations, such as the HVAC system, adequate lighting to prevent dark areas, and the floor is made to be soft on the legs. This wood athletic floor system consists of two layers of plywood with 3/4” ProFlex natural rubber pads affixed to the bottom and maple flooring attached to the top.
Nearby is a 1,770 SF multi-purpose room which is used as a secondary gym. This also has the wood athletic floors. There is a painted exposed ceiling structure and decking, along with large windows to allow natural daylighting to enter the space.
