Lawton Public Schools officials broke ground Wednesday on a $4.9 million project to build a gymnasium/safe room at Ridgecrest Elementary School, 1614 NW 47th Street.
Superintendent Kevin Hime said the school lacked three things: a gymnasium, a safe room and adequate restrooms. The new 7,500-square-foot gym/safe room will take care of those needs.
Work has already begun on the project, which is projected to take about a year, weather permitting. Structurecrete from Jenks was on the site Wednesday ready to drill the first of about 40 pier holes, which will be 50-60 feet deep. The walls and roof of the gym/safe room will be concrete, according to the construction supervisor for Herring Construction, which won the contract to build the facility.
While the project is underway, the school district also is taking the opportunity to take care of some other needs at the school, such as fixing drainage problems on the south end of the building.
About 60 percent of the project is funded with LPS bond money, with another portion coming from the state Redbud School Grants fund. Hime said state Rep. Trey Caldwell, (R-Dist. 63) was instrumental in procuring those state funds for Lawton Public Schools.