Central High School has been in dear need of repairs for many years. With a continuing increase in growth from five feeder schools, to some classes being forced to be held in portables, Central needs some improvement.

While recently many students have been passionately advocating for a new track, others believe a potential new gymnasium-auditorium combo could also be very beneficial due to lack of space for the fine arts department.

At the Central High Alumni Association meeting back in December of 2016, Principal Finley King described his conversation with Hamilton County Mayor, Jim Coppinger. He discussed how our gymnasium is not up to fire code occupancy rules if every student who attends Central is inside, thus preventing a large amount of students from attending important events, such as Senior Day and the academic awards. The capacity of the gymnasium is 850, however, Central has a total of 970 students.

According to the 2016-2017 school zone map from the Hamilton County Department of Education, the Central High School school zone is the largest school zone in Hamilton County.  Mayor Coppinger understood the  problems with both the gymnasium and track an assured Mr. King that the track would come soon and that he would present the estimated amount of $10 million needed for the new gymnasium, equipped with a new band room, to the county commission.

Students at Central are upset that we are not getting the facilities that we need to provide more academic excellence. Some students speak out on whether Central would benefit from a gymnasium or track more.

“I think we definitely need a new track,” stated Tyler Guidry, Central sophomore and track team member. “We have been needing one for many years and it is not safe for anyone to run on it. I feel like a new purple turf tack would be spotless.”

On the contrary, Junior Khadijah Melvin thinks differently.

“We definitely need a new gym,” explained Melvin. “We could host more events and all of [the students] can barely fit in the gym whenever we do host school events. The track is not in as much use as our gym. We are constantly in their whether it is for class, sporting events, or school announcements. We were supposed to have an auditorium a while ago.”

Teachers at Central also feel that their is need for these improvements. One teacher in particular, is very passionate about both.

“First, I would say that I believe [both the gym and the track] are needed,” stated Central Band Director, Joshua Bloodworth. “To have to choose one over the other, when both should have already been built, is a shame. It pits programs against each other as the vie for facilities and budget money. That being said, I would have to answer: a gym.”

Mr. Bloodworth, like many, is very passionate about this matter.

“[The gym] is most obviously needed in reference to allowing both the guys and girls basketball teams to practice all at once in the winter and spring with cheerleading and volleyball in the fall,” continued Bloodworth. “Further, I could see no reason why a second gym could not house a new band room, chorus room, auditorium, weight room, and wrestling room as those facilities are also needed. The footprint could either be large enough to do so, or it could be built in two stories. By doing so, the CTE/vocational classes could expand into the former space left by the wrestling room, weight room, band room, and chorus room, and would allow these classes to acutally have the space necessary to teach their hands-on classes,” commented Bloodworth.

Although Bloodworth feels strongly that the gym is the greater need, he still feels the track is also a need, just not as great.

“A track would greatly benefit the track teams and the community members who run and walk on campus. I truly want that for them; however, a new gym facility, as I described, could impact multiple programs, both athletic and academic at Central,” concluded Bloodworth.