SCHOOL GYM FLOOR SLATED FOR OVERHAUL; SIMILAR PROBLEM FORCED REPAIRS IN '94.

Byline: Kevin F. Sherry Daily News Staff Writer

The new year will bring a new floor to the gymnasium at Medea Creek Middle School.

Excessive water vapor seeping from the ground has caused the vinyl sports floor to buckle along the north and west edges. This is the second time the floor has failed since the school was built in 1992, said Martin Klauss, director of business and administrative services for the Oak Park Unified School District.

``What we have typically done is to cordon off those areas,'' Klauss said. ``We have had some people trip. No one has injured themselves.''

The gym is used for athletics, band concerts, and general assemblies for the school and outside groups. Parts of those activities have been curtailed because of the problem areas.

Klauss said classes have been held outside as much as possible, but that the gym is used in bad weather.

The school reinstalled the 7,500-square-foot floor once before in 1994 because moisture was causing similar problems, he said.

``It's been a problem intermittently since the building was built,'' Klauss said.

The latest reinstallation will start Dec. 26 and is expected to be completed by Jan. 11. The new floor should prevent similar water problems in the future.

``The winter break seemed the opportunity to get those things taken care of,'' Klauss said. ``We anticipate that this will be the fix.''

At its Tuesday night meeting, the Oak Park school board voted to repair the floor by using one of two plans.

The first option would contract with Floor Seal Technology Inc. to perform remedial work to the floor and with DuPont Flooring Systems to replace the floor. Total cost would be $96,126.

The second option would allow Sport Court of Los Angeles to place tiles onto the floor at a cost of about $50,000. The district is investigating whether Sport Court's replacement would meet the needs of the school, Klauss said.

Also at the meeting, the board voted to allow St. Maximilian Kolbe Catholic Church to rent the gymnasium for Christmas services Dec. 23, 24 and 25. The services, which draw about 2,200 people, should not be affected by the floor's condition, said the Rev. Peter O'Reilly, the church's pastor.

Because people will be seated in chairs for the services, the bad areas can be easily cordoned off for the church group.

The church learned of the floor's condition in September, and was concerned that winter-break repairs would prevent Christmas services from being held there, O'Reilly said.

``The issue came up about the condition of the floor and we were panicked because there's not an alternate for us,'' he said. ``It was very kind of them to make an allowance for us. We're very grateful.''