Problems stall move to VHS’ band hall
Published 12:00 am Wednesday, October 8, 2003
Vicksburg High School sophomore Raymond Perrier puts away an amplifier for the bass guitar he plays in the band after practice Tuesday. Construction setbacks have kept band students from practicing in the new hall.(Melanie Duncan Thortis The Vicksburg Post)
[10/8/03]With a technical problem delaying the Vicksburg High band’s move into its new facility the hall will be the largest in the state the students and director are taking it all in stride.
“They’ve handled it extremely well, probably better than I would have handled it at their age,” said Vicksburg Pride director Vance Wiggington. “I’m really proud of the way they’ve dealt with it.”
Wiggington and the nearly 250 band students have practiced in the school’s auditorium while waiting on the 14,123-square-foot-structure to be complete.
The band hall, which includes three practice and performance halls, uniform and instrument storage areas and offices was expected to be complete on Aug. 11, the first day of school.
The band can’t practice in its previous space in the main school building, which was 3,844 square feet, because it was divided into two classrooms in anticipation of the band’s exit to the new, freestanding structure on the City Park campus.
One of those classrooms is being used for storage, and senior band member Catherine Withrow said space hasn’t been too much of a problem.
“It’s almost the same,” she said. “We have a home, it’s just small. Our space was small to begin with, so it’s not that big of an adjustment.”
Lacking in the new facility adjacent to the band’s practice field are carpet and tile flooring. Installation must await tests to see if the concrete foundation passes industry tests.
And no pass, no play.
Industry standards require a moisture emission reading within an acceptable range, said architect Michael Jones, of the architectural firm Johnson, Bailey, Henderson, McNell, who designed the $1.5 million structure.
“We are a little bit above the amount of moisture required,” Jones said. “It’s going to take a little bit of drying the building out.”
To correct the problem, the heating and air conditioning systems have been running.
Jones said another test was performed Monday, and the results should be in by Friday. If the moisture is down, he said, the building could be ready in about two to three weeks. If the concrete does not pass the test, the contractors will likely put a product on the concrete to prevent the moisture from surfacing. In that case, the building would not be ready for three to four more weeks.
Meanwhile, as band members prepare for the State Band Festival and the Pearl Invitational this week, Vicksburg Pride members will continue to practice outside or in the auditorium with smiles on their faces.
“Knowing you’ve got a pot of gold sitting at the end of the rainbow down here helps your attitude,” Wiggington said.