Trinity Lutheran to open gym

Trinity Lutheran School will unveil its $1.35 million expansion Sunday in a 2 p.m. ceremony.

The 9,802-square-foot gymnasium has been seven years in the making. It will house students during physical education classes and school chapel services. It will also be the site of the parochial basketball league set to have its first game of the season in the new digs Tuesday.

"I think it's super. I've been involved from the beginning, and at this point the final product exceeds my expectations," said Richard Meyer, chairman of the school's building committee.

"The kids are champing at the bit to be in there. We just received our occupancy permit today," Meyer said Friday, "so I'm sure by this time next week it'll be pretty busy."

Meyer said the expansion marks phase one of the plans to improve the school, parts of which date back to 1927. The school and church have been in existence since 1854.

Phase two will move administration offices into the old gymnasium and begin upgrading library facilities, music rooms and some classrooms.

That phase will cost an estimated $500,000.

Officials hope the expansion will allow the school to increase enrollment. Trinity Lutheran currently has 190 students from prekindergarten to eighth grade.

"We'd like to be able to reach out to more people in the community and spread God's word," said principal Diane Maurer.

The dedication ceremony will include a choir performance, speeches from principals past and present and a free-throw contest.

"We're really tickled with it," said fund-raising chairman Rick Wieser of the facility.

"In the old gym, you couldn't even shoot a three-point shot because it was built before the three-point line and it was just too narrow. The new gym is almost high school-sized."

tgreaney@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 245