Families of Barrington School District 220 are urging the school board to move forward with plans for a new fine, visual performing arts space at Barrington High School, and the board is seeking to also get input from the greater community.

At a recent board meeting, DLA Architects, of Itasca, presented three new space design options for the board to consider. Paying for design work for the project was included in the $147 million referendum approved by voters in the March 2020 election. However, the cost to build the new space was not.

The need to renovate the decades-old space was recognized by many in attendance at the Oct. 3 meeting.

“Be bold, think big,” said Paul Cusimano, a 1988 BHS graduate, parent of two high school students, chair of the alumni association and active with the high school’s fine arts boosters.

Cusimano said more than half of all BHS students participate in fine arts classes.

“This is the last piece of the current puzzle,” of renovations of buildings throughout the district, he said. “Think about what’s happening 60 years from now.”

The current auditorium at the school was built in 1960 and, according to students who spoke before the board, needs larger collaboration and rehearsal spaces as well as dressing rooms. Also needed are a bigger stage, better lighting and audio throughout, and be Americans with Disabilities Act accessible.

Daniel Stevens, a senior, said there are more students participating in fine arts than in sports programs at the high school.

“Students really need an update and we need a change,” said Stevens who is active in theater, choir and a cappella.

Superintendent Craig Winkelman thanked the community for their engagement and for sharing their perspective on the plans. He said the space was first addressed in the district’s 2018 master facility plan and continues to be a priority as the board tours other facilities. He said board members have also been connecting with the greater community to assess needs since the current BHS fine arts space is often used by area theater, music and dance groups.

According to district officials, the auditorium is used 290 days per year for fine arts, athletic and community events, as well as curricular-connected ones.

The three options presented by the architects include first renovating the existing auditorium, reducing it from 700 to 487 seats to make it ADA accessible, building two additions for new practice spaces,  making larger band and dressing rooms, adding a new production shop and a new fine arts lobby and more, all at an estimated cost of $45 million to $53 million.

The second option presented includes building a new auditorium while updating existing fine arts classrooms, including creating larger band, choral and orchestra rooms, as well as adding more dressing rooms. The new auditorium would have approximately 969 seats and be ADA accessible. This option also includes building a production shop and a new fine arts lobby, and would come at an estimated cost of $52 million to $57 million.

The third option would be to build a new auditorium that would have up to 1,230 seats, a new music wing for band, orchestra and choir, along with a flexible community space, larger and more dressing rooms and renovation of existing fine arts space. The price tag for this option is estimated at $68 million to $72.9 million.

At the Oct. 17 meeting, the board seemed to lean more toward option 2 and wants community feedback. Officials said that the input is expected to help “refine” the option, and then there would likely be a move to have DL Architects create a 3D rendering of the option.

The board is expected to continue its consideration of this issue at the Nov. 7 meeting.

Elizabeth Owens-Schiele is a freelancer.