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Show .1 TTrvfi Tm IBS Park Record Thursday, August 28, 1986 Page B1 What will be fate of old Park City High School ? After only four years school rates 'F' by TERI GOMES Record editor The padlocked door is slightly ajar. The windows are covered with plywood and the cracked cement stairs have flowering weeds growing through. Inside, the water-soaked carpets squish underfoot and broken glass and fallen plaster litter the halls. The walls have been spray-painted with swear words. There is no electricty and the building is dark. A hive of bees have taken up residence on the top floor and there's a funny smell that seems to fester in abandoned buildings. But, out of the shadows steps a man with a kind of hippie headband and a funky miner's light attached to it. He leans on his shovel he brought from home and he breaks into a familair grin. "It just needs a little imagination," imagina-tion," he offers the doubter. "Let me show you around." The last time I walked the halls of the old Park City High School was more than four years ago when it was busting at the seams as an active ac-tive middle school. I am sick at the sight of neglect and decay. City councilman Jim Santy graduated from the old high school. So did his wife. And his kids. The building is part of not only the town's past, but his own personal history. And now that the city owns the building he is determined to see it restored to it's former glory. The High School was built in 1928 for a cost of $127,000. It was the pride of the mining, town. A 550 seat auditorium with brass rails arida' full size gym with wrought iron rails and real hardwood floors,' were some of the jewels of school. In 1976, when a new high school was built (and much needed), the school became a center of learning for junior high students. Then when the population of the old mining town, now world class resort, blossomed, a new middle school was needed and built. In September of 1982 no nervous students ran through the halls or bounced balls in the gym. There were no lockers slamming or kids giggling between classes. For the rrry 'r- ... t"3 i- "v-'- s -. ."rj ' '."'j I 11 flit-. f Hi : i Oft -4 n i I i -.I c r h ,- w "'lit i W- -r " jf I I -I s . t I ft ( , V , 1 ill i ' r -ji" I ,M i - f f ' u -t -ii; ii t . ? j l it I - 31. f r f I I; i W - Former graduate Santy is hopeful the old school can find a public future. f if'".'' fc ; ,7 f i I " C " I The Park City High School was first time in more than fifty years the school stood silent. According to Dr.Simmons, director direc-tor of support services for the school district, once the school was no longer needed the goal was simply to secure the building from vandals. Repeatedly, Simmons said, the building was broken into and windows win-dows were broken and damage was done to the school. While a good many plans were discussed for use of the building, which the district felt at one time was valued at more than $3 million, nothing happened. Eventually former Superintendent Dr.Good-worth Dr.Good-worth told Simmons to sell anything inside of building of any value. Simmons has receipts from 1984 showing where many of the items ended up. "Let's see," he mused, "the glass backboard for basketball went to the Midway (IDS church) stake for $200. N.M.C. truck repair bought a wooden lunch table for $155. Jack Dozier paid $400 for a piece of the brass railing from the audtiorium. It all was just sold bit by bit." Simmons said the roof began to leak that first year, but it didn't seem serious and he never advised 4 It - 4 I 1 f built in 1928 for a total cost of the school board they needed to have it repaired. "I was more concerned with vandals." van-dals." Each year the school got worse. Last year it was appraised for $1,285 million and the city bought the old school for $1.3 million. While there were no immediate plans for the building at the time the city expressed express-ed concern to maintain the only open space left in the old town area. Chief building inspector Ron Ivie said when he first walked through the building it was actually after the , city had agreed to the purchase "The condition of the building was ' basically the way you see it today. I had no idea the school was in such terrible shape," said Ivie. He estimates it would take at least $200,000 to $300,000 to bring' the building up to useable condition. Ivie said the city hasn't had the funds to check out the heating and water systems fully in the building. "We've worked to insure good drainage with the pipes inside the building," said Ivie. "And there's no longer any way for the classrooms to fill up with snow. But we really can't do more than that right now." Well, maybe there aren't funds Chipped cement belies the once school. jv ' iZj'' ' :- :?(! - r " 1 h Mil - W 1 - r Ii fPA . ft: ,., Mm--- - - ' ---; r , jj- . II - I - !fM City councilman Jim Santy takes a moment to rest on his i xjif v . ifi shovel in a doorway at the old school. $127,000. In 1985, the city purchased the old school and playing available to pay for work inside the building, but there's no reason volunteers can't lend a hand. Most days you'll find Santy roaming roam-ing the halls, humming slightly off key (a speciality of his) while he pushes his broom and lifts his shovel. Lately, a few volunteers have showed up to spend a few hours mucking around inside with Santy. The hardwood gym floors are warped now and the tiles have fallen off parts of the ceiling. Santy just pushes them aside with his broom. "There's got to be a way this building can be live again," he says. "I don't really know what it should be. People have talked about all kinds of uses from a community college col-lege to a sports medicine clinic. The city may find an investor who wants to buy the building from them. I don't know. I just can't stand to see it neglected." Hazy sunlight streams in a crack in the plywood window coverings and creates shadows at play on the warped floors. The dust is flying again as Santy dances with his broom across the gym floor. And somewhere in the past, you can hear the fans cheering in the bleachers... elegant entrance to the old " j ; ; The former lunchroom is abandoned now. -I 1 . "" """ " ' V - "s i , X v. 4 !iM' . i ' ! I j Ten Gomes field for $1.3 million. 8ri Gomes |