Iola city officials will decide on a strategy in the coming days for the Recreation Community Building at Riverside Park.
The building has been shuttered after its floor was damaged due to flooding in October.
The city received a shade under $300,000 from its insurance carrier last week for floor repairs, Assistant City Administrator Corey Schinstock said, and another $4,000 to replace some of the contents lost in the flood.
With the money in hand, the city will take its time in deciding what type of floor should go into the gymnasium, Schinstock said.
The old floor, installed after the rec building was damaged in the 2007 flood, was made of vinyl, and purportedly was flood proof.
But when floodwaters more than 2 inches deep breached the gymnasium the weekend of Oct. 6-9, it seeped under the vinyl surface and saturated a foam padding.
“And once it gets wet under there, it’s impossible to dry,” Schinstock said.
That meant the entire floor had to be removed, as did carpeting in the Little Theater and the Iola Recreation Department offices.
Other tiles in the kitchen and some restrooms also had to be replaced.
“We want to get the building opened soon, but we want to do this right,” Schinstock said. “I’d love to say it’ll reopen in a couple of months, but I don’t know for certain how long this will take.”
Options to consider is another vinyl or plastic tile system for the gymnasium, but with a sub base padding that’s easier to replace in case of future water events.
“Flooding is always going to be a concern in the park,” Schinstock noted.
Aside from a few lost activities — morning walking and senior-cize classes among them — many of the other Rec Department programs have continued.
Youth basketball games slated to start this month will be played at USD 257 school gymnasiums. Other activities have been or will be at the Gray Barn at Allen Community College.
Rec Department employees have been placed at City Hall until their office flooring can be repaired.
High school and middle school sports teams also have been disrupted, Schinstock noted, because the Rec Building frequently was used as an extra venue for practice.
