Weather hampers press box construction

    Like a lot of outside projects, the past few months of weather have played havoc with progress.
    That’s the case for the Chase County Schools’ building construction class and teacher Jeff Gleisberg, who have fought weather conditions this year as they work on a new press box at the football field.
    It was hoped the project would be completely done for the 2023 fall season, but it’s not looking good, Gleisberg said.
    “The weather’s been a nightmare. If it’s not snowing, there is rain or wind,” he said.
    The new press box on the field’s visitor’s side is designed for the visiting team’s coaches and out-of-town radio broadcasting.
    Gleisberg said at one of their home games prior to last season, there were 20-25 people crowded into the current press box, forcing a couple of CCS coaches to go up on top.
    At times, more than one radio wants to broadcast games, causing some interference with the public address announcer.
    CCS Supt. Adam Lambert agreed the current press box gets crowded at times, and is among the reasons the board approved the project in January 2022.
    But, he added, they also wanted a project for the class on school grounds, “and this was an opportunity for that to happen.”
    Gleisberg has five students in the building construction class. He could use a couple more, but five is a good number to have, he said.
    Construction by the class and Gleisberg’s supervision started last fall after the school board contracted the cement foundation to be poured last summer.
    This week, with improved conditions, the class was finishing the sheathing on the second floor’s exterior walls, and next week, they hope to be sheathing the roof and shingling, he said.
    Insulation and drywall is yet to be completed on the top level, along with installing windows, the door and siding.
    One big plus is the large storage area built underneath, Gleisberg said, as the storage area under the current press box is full.
    That will hopefully allow separate storage of the football and track equipment.
    Even if the press box isn’t 100% done this fall, it will be usable, Gleisberg said.
    Gleisberg said his goal with this project is for students to learn some of the basics of home construction, such as laying out walls, aspects of drywalling and other basic renovation that they can use someday if they don’t go into construction as a profession.
    This is Gleisberg’s ninth year at CCS. During that time his classes have built a garage, a couple of sheds, a deck at a local business, porch overhangs and other remodeling.
    Imperial residents can “get on a list” for his class to do future projects. It’s usually one to two years before his class gets to that project, and he said many don’t want to wait.
    But others will, he said.
    The home/business owner pays for the materials, and then is asked to make a donation to the class for their labor, he said.
    “We leave that up to them, whatever they think is fair,” he said.
    That donation goes into a separate class account which Gleisberg uses to purchase tools and other equipment beyond what his general budget provides for.