Rebuilding has begun
After Hurricane Irene, many questions were asked by students and faculty about what would become of the downstairs in the Spartan Athletic Facility that was essentially destroyed.
But just weeks after the storm that devastated Vermont, the rebuilding process has begun, answering those questions.
“The entire area down there was taken out… it’s almost like we’re starting from scratch, rebuilding the walls, putting in new lockers, replacing all the athletic equipment in our fitness center downstairs,” said Associate Dean of Athletics and Recreation Deanna Tyson.
Head Football Coach Marc Klatt also detailed the damage to the Spartan locker room.
“In regard to our locker room, a lot of stuff was damaged that we had to replace, or repair, or clean it up.”
The offices of athletic department faculty members were located in the devastated basement as well and have been temporarily relocated.
“The coaching staff has been moved out to the facilities building (formerly physical plant), and they are using the break room/conference room out there” said Dean of Administration Scott Dikeman.
But Klatt said it could have been much worse.
“Through the quick thinking of our staff and people that were there and a lot of athletes which were coming there, we were able to salvage pretty much everything that was in our offices,” Klatt said.
But what about the cost to repair the two-year-old facility and who will have to pay?
“If I had to venture a guess, it would be substantial, well over an upwards of a million dollars” said Dikeman. “But it will all be covered by insurance … and it should not have an impact on tuition.”
Dikeman said the repair process for damages of this magnitude could take a while, but he said he’s hopeful it can be back in use soon.
He said the downstairs will be out of use “hopefully not the entire semester, but I’d be safe to say [at least] the football season.”
But Tyson said students and faculty will be happy to know that nothing will change in the building when it’s finished.
“When they come redo everything, it will be done the same way it was before,” she said.