Second floor gym at Rundlett?
Current plans for the new Rundlett Middle School include a second-floor gym. What?
No recently built new school in N.H. has an “upstairs” gym. It is not practical or convenient. It may meet minimum fire and structural codes but doesn’t meet community needs or above average safety requirements. Presumably, grandparents and other community members will attend events in that space. In case of fire or other need to evacuate quickly, it will be more indirect and slower than if the gym was on the first floor with multiple direct exits.
Just look at the current location and how easy it is for people to access or exit the gym. Why make it more complicated in the next version of Rundlett?
Perhaps the rationale is to minimize the building footprint but there is so much space allocated for fields that there must be a way for plans to include a first floor gym. To see those plans go to sau8.org/middle-school-project-home. Look under June 5, 2025 Building Committee information. Since this may be the most expensive public school ever built in this state the design and use of space should be what our Concord community wants, not some fancy idea that a Massachusetts architectural firm dreams up.
Please contact any school board member with your suggestions soon since they will make final decisions shortly. And, while you are at it, ask them how much your property taxes will go up just for this school?
Anne Hartshorn
Concord