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Wrestling room space saved

JANESVILLE — The Parker High School wrestling team will have a practice room of its own after all, and changes also could be in the works for the Craig wrestlers.

Parker wrestling backers had complained that the existing room used for practice had been cut from the Parker expansion plans without their knowledge.

The existing practice room was to be use to expand offices, locker rooms and other facilities in Parker’s lower level.

A school board committee last week decided to leave plans as they were and directed the administration to come up with a workable plan for wrestling practice.

It seemed as though wrestling practice would be in the new gym, a solution that wrestlers found unacceptable, in part because they wouldn’t have the padded walls they have now.

Concerns also were raised about a floormat-hoisting system that some thought would be unworkable.

But the committee meeting announcement did not give the 24 hours notice required by law, so the committee re-opened the issue at its meeting Tuesday night.

Parents and wrestlers themselves addressed the board to ask that the practice room be preserved. Some said the successful wrestling program would wither and die without its own room.

The committee decided—and the full school board agreed—to direct the administration to come up with a new plan within 60 days. The new plan would provide a wrestling-practice room that is similar to the existing one.

Business director Doug Bunton said the Craig wrestling program has similar concerns about having to practice in Craig’s new gym, so he would meet with Craig officials to make sure both high schools are treated equitably.

It wasn’t clear whether rearranging the space in Parker’s lower level would mean smaller locker rooms or offices. Board member Todd Bailey said the lower level has storage areas planned that could be used to accommodate a wrestling room.

Cost was not discussed. Amy Rashkin said she was concerned about the cost of an architect’s services to revise the construction plans.

The vote was 7-2, with Debra Kolste and Rashkin voting no.

Bailey said changing the plans actually could save money because the cost of a hoist system for the gym would have been $20,000 per mat.

Work on the locker-room area on Parker’s lower level is not scheduled until 2009.