Over the course of the summer, Riverside Brookfield High School not only went through some changes to the staff, but to the building itself. Starting on June 5, 2016, RBHS began its building renovations.

Due to safety hazards and accessibility issues, certain areas of the building had to be updated immediately. The renovations specifically focus on the rooftops, Door G and the Main Gym.

During the course of this construction students cannot use Door G or the Main Gym for any purposes, which adds five to ten minutes each day for students who walk to school.

“I have to change my morning routine and leave my house much earlier,” said sophomore Cora Lutes.

The construction to the rooftops is currently in the second year of a three-year repair plan. There were many parts of the roof that were leaking throughout the building.

Principal Kristin Smetana stated that the administrative board knew the project was going to go through the summer and into the school year. They expect to have all of the construction done by the second or third week of October.

As for the Main Gym, the floor was over 50 years old and had dents all over it. The gym bleachers were also not up to code and were very unsafe.

Door G was also not handicap accessible. There was rust on the handicap ramp and parts of the stairs were not functional.

“I still don’t think Door G has had a major impact, and I do recognize that it is an inconvenience for students, but it will look nice when it’s done,” said Smetana.

During the course of the renovations in 2008, none of the athletic venues were worked on. That is why most of the school’s attention has been focused on improving the athletic facilities this time around.

One of the biggest issues students are having with the construction is the timing of it. The beginning of the school year is pretty chaotic to begin with, adding construction to the mix has not been the easiest for some students.

Not only have the renovations been an adjustment for the student but it has been an inconvenience for other third parties that rent out the gym, such as the Riverside Brookfield Junior Bulldogs basketball program.

“We gave all of our sports teams first priority. So what we had to do was to not have as many rentals in the building, [such as] Junior Bulldogs Basketball,” said Smetana.

Overall the renovations have been an adjustment for everyone, and things will immediately return to normal as soon as the construction comes to an end.