Beginning in the summer of 2024 and continuing into the first semester of this school year, OLCHS has been having construction on the North side of the building . Construction is occurring as OLCHS is preparing to build a field house. It is planned for the field house to go in front of the school, thus the need to create a new teacher parking lot in the back as the current teacher lot will not be available for use.
Joseph McCurdy, Assistant Superintendent, is the head behind this construction. Since the construction is running according to schedule, he believes the lot is to be completed in October, with the final phase of a traffic signal at Southwest Highway being installed in early 2025.
“The new parking lot will serve as the Staff Parking Lot. The current Staff Parking Lot along 95th Street will be replaced with the field house addition”, said McCurdy. “When finished, the North Drive will have a traffic signal exiting onto Southwest Highway. The traffic signal will assist motorists in the morning and afternoon to exit safely onto Southwest Highway.”
Though the parking lot will be a good addition for future use alongside the field house, the current situation of construction is taking a toll on students, staff, and athletes.
Students are not allowed to be dropped off at the North side of the building. Additionally students weren’t able to use exits going towards construction in the beginning of the semester. The tennis team was previously allowed for players to park by the North courts, but due to construction, that had to be stopped and created an inconvenience to athletes.
Despite these inconveniences now, the payoff will be worth it in the end. So, while there may be construction in the present, Oak Lawn Community High School will eventually have a brand new parking lot and field house in the future.
