by Tom Coombe
The main gymnasium at Ely Memorial High School will be closed for as long as four more weeks while repairs are made to the ceiling.
At a special meeting Monday, school board members authorized a $63,000 project to install plywood over the plaster ceiling,
The decision came in the wake of a Sept. 6 incident in which more than 70 pounds of plaster fell, after school hours and when the gymnasium was unoccupied.
The gymnasium has been closed ever since, displacing physical education classes as well as the high school volleyball team, which has been playing home games and practicing at Vermilion Community College the last three weeks.
That’s expected to continue until late-October, given a project timeline pegged at four weeks.
Crews from Max Gray Construction, which was tabbed by school officials for the project, are expected to begin work Monday.