The Baldwin City School District has begun construction on a new auditorium, in hopes of improving areas of education for students and saving lives if natural disaster occurs.

The auditorium will be called the Performing Arts Center.

A facilities committee was formed to decide what is required to fulfill Baldwin City students’ needs. An assessment was taken in order for the committee to understand the students’ interests in career paths.

“The No. 1 interest was in fine arts and performing arts, and that kind of thing,” superintendent Paul Dorathy said. “So we felt, at the present time, that our present auditorium at the junior high was inadequate to meet the educational needs of students.”

The stage in the current auditorium is too small with a poor sound and lighting system.

Also, its electrical system does not work properly and it does not have enough seating.

“It’s good because they’ll probably have a lot better technology than what we did when I was there, even though that was only a year ago,” freshman Alan Callahan, 2009 Baldwin High School graduate, said.

Both junior high and high school students will use the auditorium for various activities, such as music programs, theater productions, presentations, lectures and classes.

“It’s always been designed to sit as a separate facility so that the community or Baker would be able to utilize that facility when needed,” Dorathy said.

Scheduling time would be the only issue with people other than Baldwin City students using the auditorium.

“Sometimes what I see is our plays are about the same time Baker’s play is,” Dorathy said.

“If Baker would like to come over and use that, I’m sure that we could work that out.”

The Performing Arts Center will be paid for by the school district through community members' property tax dues and through part of a larger bond issue, which included other city projects. It will also be funded through a Federal Emergency Management Agency grant.<br/> The FEMA grant is worth several millions of dollars and it will be paying for 75 percent of the main structure. The FEMA grant is worth several millions of dollars and it will be paying for 75 percent of the main structure.<br/>"All it's paying for are the walls and the doors and such that are going to make up that safe room," Dorathy said."All it's paying for are the walls and the doors and such that are going to make up that safe room," Dorathy said.<br/>The school district will pay the remaining 25 percent, which supplies items such as the seating and sound and lighting systems.The school district will pay the remaining 25 percent, which supplies items such as the seating and sound and lighting systems.<br/>"Seating is a little over 600, but … 1,800 people can fit into the space and be protected as engineered from an F5 tornado. A two by four hitting the side of this at 250 miles per hour will not penetrate," Dorathy said.  "The good thing about that space is we know that after the tornado comes through, it will be standing. It's a place that can be used to help people in a natural disaster. ""Seating is a little over 600, but … 1,800 people can fit into the space and be protected as engineered from an F5 tornado. A two by four hitting the side of this at 250 miles per hour will not penetrate," Dorathy said.  "The good thing about that space is we know that after the tornado comes through, it will be standing. It's a place that can be used to help people in a natural disaster. "<br/>Along with others, Cassy Bailey, dean of students and Baldwin City resident, believes the new auditorium is valuable to everyone within the city.Along with others, Cassy Bailey, dean of students and Baldwin City resident, believes the new auditorium is valuable to everyone within the city.<br/>"I'm very supportive of it," said Bailey. "It's beneficial to the community and to students.""I'm very supportive of it," said Bailey. "It's beneficial to the community and to students."<br/>Callahan thinks having the auditorium for shelter will allow more people to be safe at one time.Callahan thinks having the auditorium for shelter will allow more people to be safe at one time.<br/>"We had locker rooms, but they weren't really made for shelter," said Callahan.    "We had locker rooms, but they weren't really made for shelter," said Callahan.    <br/>The construction of the auditorium will be completed and ready for Baldwin City students and community usage in one year.The construction of the auditorium will be completed and ready for Baldwin City students and community usage in one year.<br/>"I think people are going to get a lot more for their dollar in this Performing Arts Center than people might think," said Dorathy. "It will be a great place to have plays, programs and presentations. I just think it's going to be a wonderful facility for the performing arts and Baldwin City.""I think people are going to get a lot more for their dollar in this Performing Arts Center than people might think," said Dorathy. "It will be a great place to have plays, programs and presentations. I just think it's going to be a wonderful facility for the performing arts and Baldwin City."
 The FEMA grant is worth several millions of dollars and it will be paying for 75 percent of the main structure.
“All it’s paying for are the walls and the doors and such that are going to make up that safe room,” Dorathy said.
The school district will pay the remaining 25 percent, which supplies items such as the seating and sound and lighting systems.
“Seating is a little over 600, but … 1,800 people can fit into the space and be protected as engineered from an F5 tornado. A two by four hitting the side of this at 250 miles per hour will not penetrate,” Dorathy said.  “The good thing about that space is we know that after the tornado comes through, it will be standing. It’s a place that can be used to help people in a natural disaster. “
Along with others, Cassy Bailey, dean of students and Baldwin City resident, believes the new auditorium is valuable to everyone within the city.
“I’m very supportive of it,” said Bailey. “It’s beneficial to the community and to students.”
Callahan thinks having the auditorium for shelter will allow more people to be safe at one time.
“We had locker rooms, but they weren’t really made for shelter,” said Callahan.   
The construction of the auditorium will be completed and ready for Baldwin City students and community usage in one year.
“I think people are going to get a lot more for their dollar in this Performing Arts Center than people might think,” said Dorathy. “It will be a great place to have plays, programs and presentations. I just think it’s going to be a wonderful facility for the performing arts and Baldwin City.”