Auxiliary Gym At Central Now In Document
At a joint meeting of the Rockbridge County Board of Supervisors and the Rockbridge County School Board on Thursday, Nov. 13, at the Rockbridge Innovation Center, Superintendent Phillip Thompson outlined a series of revisions to the division’s FY26–32 Capital Improvement Plan.
The presentation followed the supervisors’ decision earlier in the week to move forward with the Rockbridge Recreation Center — a roughly $13 million project.
That vote cleared the way for school officials to update the CIP, removing several projects previously slated for FY27.
Those now taken off the list include a $650,000 expansion of tennis courts and sports lighting; a $235,000 paving project for the junior parking lot; $530,400 for new concessions and restrooms at the baseball/softball/tennis complex; a $3.2 million fieldhouse with locker rooms and weight-room renovations; and $12.95 million earmarked for the construction of auxiliary gyms.
According to Thompson, these needs will either be addressed by, or rendered unnecessary with, the development of the recreation center.
New items added to FY27 include construction of four to six new tennis courts with lighting, estimated at $1.5 million; the recreation center itself; and a $1.25 million installation of artificial turf at the Prasnicki–Ross Stadium at RCHS.
A $1 million HVAC replacement at the Effinger Central Office remains unchanged in FY27.
Looking ahead to FY29, the CIP now includes a new project: construction of an auxiliary gym at Central Elementary School. The estimated $6.825 million cost comes from a pre-Covid feasibility study and will need updating, officials noted. The project would include a gym, storage, and two additional classrooms. Thompson said Central Elementary continues to face space constraints, relying on a gymnatorium and limited classroom capacity.
Another FY29 project — the $25 million renovation of Rockbridge County High School — remains on the CIP as previously planned. Board of Supervisors Chair Leslie Ayers asked whether the renovations would occur at once or in phases. “It’ll have to be staged,” Thompson said, adding that the division will refine timelines and cost breakdowns as FY29 approaches.
Supervisor David McDaniel asked about potential grant funding. Thompson noted that the division previously received a $2.4 million School Construction Assistance Program grant for the Innovation Center and hopes to qualify for the same funding stream for the recreation center. That grant could cover up to 10% of the cost, or about $1.3 million. He expects to know more within a few weeks.
County Administrator Spencer Suter remarked that “2029 looks like a heavy hit,” suggesting the county may need to evaluate debtservice options ahead of that year. McDaniel also pointed out how projects often shift over time, referencing the auxiliary gyms once planned for FY27 that were originally expected in 2022 before ultimately being replaced by the recreation center proposal.
The CIP has now been extended through FY2032 to accommodate long-term facility planning. With the expansion, three new projects appear in FY32: a $300,000 upgrade to electrical service at the football stadium; $80,000 to pave the transportation and bus-garage lot; and an $80,000 bus canopy at Natural Bridge Elementary School. County Finance Director Ashton Harrison emphasized the paving project in particular, recommending it be moved up or at least re-estimated.
Suter said county and departmental CIPs are due soon and that he will review the school division’s submission. The county’s full CIP will receive its first reading on Dec. 8, with provisional adoption expected in January. Final approval will come next May when the budget is adopted.
