The project will add 59,500 square feet of space to CGHS without increasing the tax rate for White River Township residents. The addition will serve a wide range of needs of the school’s more than 2,400 students and help alleviate the lack of gym and indoor practice/gathering space. The addition will also expand the current weight room to 7,500 square feet. The weight room expansion will alleviate the safety concern created by the volume of students working in the current space constraints. The original concept for the space includes a multi-purpose floor, four basketball courts, and a 200-meter track.

“We are very pleased that we can finally move forward with this addition for our students,” said Dr. Rich Arkanoff, superintendent. “Our community realizes that this addition is necessary to ensure all of our students have the space they need to participate in extra-curricular activities and sports.”

“A lot of people in our community came together to make this happen,” said Billy Bemis, parent and organizer of the petition drive in support of the project. “We had more than 80 people carry petitions to gather thousands of signatures in support of this project. It’s just one example of how our community supports our students and our school district.”

The Student Activity Center project was approved by the Board of School Trustees in August. Because the project will cost more than $2 million, a period of remonstrance was held. During that time, a petition of remonstrance was filed against the project. During November and December, residents in support of and opposed to the project carried petitions to gather signatures from registered voters and property owners in White River Township. Those signatures were turned over to the Johnson County Clerk for verification in mid-December. On Tuesday, Johnson County Clerk Sue Anne Misiniec delivered the official notice to the school corporation that the financing of the project could move forward.