Mundelein High School awards nearly $3 million in pool-project bids

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Updated: March 24, 2012 8:16AM

Mundelein High School has awarded $2.8 million in bids for renovations to the school’s indoor swimming pool. Construction work could get underway on the project later this month.

The MHS board approved 12 bids to different contractors for various aspects of the construction work at its Feb. 14 board meeting. IHC Construction Companies, LLC of Elgin is the project manager and will oversee the construction work.

The pool project is scheduled to begin at the end of February and to be completed by the end of October, according to Gary Lonquist, business manager at Mundelein High School.

Lonquist said the pool was built in 1987 and the mechanical systems are outdated and the pool design needs to be brought up to current national and state pool standards.

“The result of the project will be to provide a modern, attractive and multi-functional pool that will serve the needs of MHS students and other community pool users for the next 25 years,” he said.

Lonquist said the current pool will be enlarged and the depth contours will be changed. With the new pool configuration, swimmers will once again be able to enter the water from diving blocks as the entry depth will be increased from 3.5 feet to five feet in order to meet current pool standards.

New lighting

“The pool will have eight competition lanes and two warm-up lanes,” he said. “The two warm-up lanes will be shallower to also accommodate swim instruction. The depth modifications will also enhance the water polo programs.”

As part of the project, the existing drainage, plumbing, pumping, electrical and heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems will be replaced. New lighting will also be installed at the pool.

The pool decks will be refinished and the interior walls will be repainted.

Perry Wilhelm, athletic director at Mundelein High School, said the pool improvements are long overdue.

“To a person who uses the facility, there’s no disagreement it’s definitely needed,” he said. “It will enhance our aquatics programs all the way around. I’m just glad it’s going to get done because our programs need it.”

Wilhelm said currently the high school is not able to host regional or other swim meets because the depth of the pool does not meet national pool standards.

Wilhelm said plans are for construction to start after the end of the boys swim season in the next couple weeks. He said PE classes will not be able to use the pool for swim classes during construction.

He said MHS is working to make arrangements with other high schools in the area such as Libertyville, Vernon Hills, Stevenson and Warren for use of their pools for water polo team practices in the spring and the swim club.

Wilhelm said the high school will try to minimize disruptions during the temporary pool closure but “there’s no way we can do this without some inconvenience.”

Funding for the pool project was made possible through the passage of a $10 million voter referendum that was passed in April 2011. Referendum money is also being used for other building improvements at the MHS campus including the installation of artificial turf and rebuilding the track at the stadium field, remodeled bathrooms and roof repairs.