Park District to Solicit Bids for Ackerman Roof Repair

Long awaited repairs to the roof at the will begin in the spring of 2012. The Glen Ellyn Park District will solicit bids in February for the leaky roof.

Park District officials estimate the costs of repair will be approximately $1 million and will take four months to complete. The building will remain open during construction. Funding for the repairs will be provided through capital funds, which have been reserved in anticipation of this project.

“We’re confident this repair work will give us a permanent solution for our leaky roof at Ackerman. It is important to fix all of the problems before the interior of our building is further damaged. By investing in a long-term solution now we can avoid a vicious cycle of temporary patches to the roof and expensive repairs for years to come,” Melissa Creech, Glen Ellyn Park District Board president said in a released statement.

The 88,000-square-foot Ackerman complex opened its doors in January 2010 with a cost of $11.2 million, about $3.8 million higher than originally expected. In 2006 voters approved a $7.4 million referendum to build the complex. However, additional amenities were added to benefit athletic organizations that wanted to rent space with the park district. Those additions caused the size of the space to grow from an initial plan of 55,000-square-feet to its final size. It also pushed up the price tag of its final tally. Contracting company T.A. Bowman Contractors, LLC, was paid $1,539,300 according to an Oct. 7, 2008 contract with the Glen Ellyn Park District, through a Freedom of Information request.

Roofing consultants Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates evaluated the condition of the roof and recommended an overclad on the existing roof with an insulated and adhered single-ply membrane.

Dave Harris, executive director of the park district, said they will “aggressively seek” to recoup any and all costs for repair of the roof.

“It is unfortunate that the Park District has to expend the money to repair the roof; however we believe it is in the Park District’s best interests to fix the problems as soon as possible while at the same time pursuing legal action to recoup those costs,” Harris said.

Park District officials became aware of interior water leaks prior to the building opening. The leaks were first apparent in the corners of the building and in the central portion of the roof. Additional leaks were observed in the fitness center, fitness classroom, multipurpose room, along the exterior walls in both the gym and the indoor turf area, throughout the center of the gym and the second floor mezzanine area. Glen Ellyn Park District staff constructed a system of buckets, tarps and flexible piping to control the flow of water from at least 20 leaks in the building.

Bowman told Patch that leaks in metal buildings are common following the initial construction. He said workers troubleshoot the buildings after they are built to see what repairs, if any, are needed. However, the leaks have never been resolved.

“The staff has been extremely resourceful in dealing with the ongoing and increasing leaks. Despite never having a completely functional facility, they have done an outstanding job in operating and maintaining the Center. Additionally, facility members and patrons have been supportive and patient during this time as well,” said Harris.

Creech sad the repairs will give the village a “fully functional building.”

“I’d like to thank the Ackerman members and Glen Ellyn residents for their patience and support as the Park District works towards finally resolving the issues,” Creech said.

Download the movie