By Chris Spangler
With prayer and praise, members of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and School broke ground Sunday on a long-awaited gymnasium project.
Students, faculty and St. Paul’s families gathered behind the school at 309 Bluff St., Fort Atkinson, following morning worship for a brief ceremony that began with the hymn “My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less” and ended with everyone having an opportunity to turn a chunk of soil.
In between were scripture readings, prayers and the first shovelful of ground being broken by the Rev. Matthew Vik. That was followed by members of the Building Committee and other lay leaders taking a turn. They included Nate Graumann, Greg Strohm, Randy Erdmann, Jason Slocum, Tyler Floerke, David Frohmader, Pastor Allen Kirschbaum, Rick Peters and Gary Strohm.
“For years, St. Paul’s has grappled with the limitations of its current gymnasium, which has struggled to accommodate the demands of modern sporting events, particularly basketball games. This inadequacy has even led to other schools declining invitations to compete at St. Paul’s, underscoring the urgent need for the new facility,” according to a St. Paul’s news release.
“The new gymnasium is poised to revolutionize the school’s athletic capabilities,” it added.
Designed by Excel Engineering of Fond du Lac with Gilbank Construction Inc. of Clinton as builder, the gym will provide ample space for volleyball and basketball tournaments, with access via both external entrances and internal pathways within the existing school structure, including an elevator.
It also will have state-of-the-art bleacher seating, spacious locker rooms, modern restrooms and a concession stand. A mezzanine will be located above the bleachers.
“The realization of this project is the culmination of years of planning and dedication from the St. Paul’s families,” the news release stated.
It was on April 16 that the congregation voted to move forward with construction of the gym.
That day, Mason Belzer presented the effort’s tagline, “Building Onto Our Legacy,” and explained that the new gym was essential to passing on to the next generation St. Paul’s excellent school legacy of the last 156 years. He also shared a computer-generated walk-through of the floorpan that may be viewed at https://www.facebook.com/StPaulsNewGymMission.
As approved by the Fort Atkinson Plan Commission last year, the 12,140-square-foot gymnasium will take up 0.7 acres of the 3.89-acre property.
The existing south fence will remain, with the driveway repaved. The gym’s exterior will be brick to match the existing school, with insulated metal panels, aluminum windows and a standing seam metal roof.
At the time, St. Paul’s representative Gary Strom estimated the project’s pricetag at $3.5 million to $4 million.
Photos from the event follow.
Three photos above: Attendees of a St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and School groundbreaking ceremony held Sunday enjoy doughnuts. The event was held in celebration of a new gymnasium that soon will be build at the school.
Four photos above: Children use shovels, spades and trowels to break ground for St. Paul’s Lutheran School’s new gymnasium.
Three photos above: The Rev. Matthew Vik leads attendees in a hymn titled: “God’s Word Is Our Great Heritage.”
The groundbreaking ceremony takes place behind the current school gym, as seen from atop the rear school stairs.
Nate Graumann, from left, Greg Strohm, Randy Erdmann, Jason Slocum, Tyler Floerke, David Frohmader, Pastor Allen Kirschbaum, Rick Peters, Gary Strohm and Pastor Matthew Vik place shovels to the ground during a groundbreaking ceremony held Sunday in advance of the upcoming construction of a new gymnasium at St. Paul’s Lutheran School.
Attendees, including Building Committee members and lay leaders, listen as Pastor Matthew Vik invites them into the school’s cafeteria for doughnuts.
Chris Spangler photos.
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