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The Coal City Community Unit School District 1 Board of Education has decided to repair the north gymnasium at Coal City Intermediate School. The board approved this decision during a meeting on February 5, after reviewing proposals from district architects. The repairs will involve replacing the truss system and fixing the north wall of the 8,300 square-foot gymnasium.
The school building has been closed since October 30, 2024, due to structural damage discovered in the roof trusses over the gymnasium. As a result, fourth and fifth-grade students and staff have been relocated to the elementary school, where they will remain through the 2025-2026 school year.
Plans for future renovations or potential demolition of the school building are part of the district’s long-term facility plan. These plans will be reconsidered based on decisions regarding the relicensing of Dresden Generating Station and a related property tax agreement.
To accommodate students and staff at the elementary school, the Board has instructed district officials to request bids for necessary renovations. These updates would include improvements to electrical capacities and mechanical systems, as well as possible temporary modular classroom or office spaces.
During its meeting, the Board also authorized payment for invoices totaling $196,679 related to shoring up trusses and repairing the north wall of Coal City Intermediate School. An insurance claim has been filed by the district to cover these expenses. Additionally, efforts will be made to appeal limited coverage by insurance carriers in hopes of securing full funding for repairs.
Funding for these building repairs will come from health/life safety reserves and proceeds from working cash bonds obtained in November 2023. The district plans to keep its community informed about progress on these repairs until their expected completion in late spring 2026.
