Following the approval of the Vashon Island School District’s $9.9 million bond earlier this year, nearly $180,000 was spent this summer on gym repairs at the middle and high schools. The school district met with the park district last Monday to discuss how to protect the investment.

The school district’s facilities are used not only by students, but community sports groups such as lacrosse, basketball and soccer that fall under the purview of the park district. Following some recent incidents, including one last year that resulted in a broken fire sprinkler and flooding of the McMurray gym during a community futsal match, school officials met to set rules for both school and community use of the gyms. They call for:

1. Regular sweeping by both school staff and community groups.

2. The use of only soft, indoor-specific balls for futsal, softball and baseball.

3. Proper footwear (clean, non-marking sole tennis shoes) is worn at all times.

Looking ahead, the park district will solicit rules from all of the community sports groups and publish a list of rules and expectations.

The Vashon High School gym received new bleachers, new interior and exterior paint and windows, while the McMurray Middle School gym’s floor was refurbished and new lights are set to be installed inside.