Bossier Schools Breathes New Life into Benton Historic Icon

Work is underway to breathe new life into a part of Benton’s history.

Bossier Schools is currently rehabilitating and restoring the former Benton High Gym. Predating World War II, the gym opened in 1939 and has since seen thousands of students compete in it.

When a new school was built in 1979, the gym transitioned to serve as a community center before being utilized as a surplus warehouse for Bossier Schools in the 2000s. 

“I have an affection for older, stately buildings and the history that goes along with them. I know what it means to the community and those who went to Benton and played in that gym. I played in that gym, myself, in high school, so even I have fond memories of it,” said Bossier Schools Superintendent Jason Rowland. 

Now, the former gym is being repurposed as an office space for Bossier Schools employees who have been working in cramped quarters as the school system continues to grow. 

The gym is located on the Bossier Schools’ Central Office campus, and aesthetically it ties into that campus. The move will see the finance, child nutrition, and purchasing departments housed in the gym.

“I saw that it could be so much more than it is,” said Rowland. “I remember what it used to look like, and that was part of the genesis of our desire to take it, restore it, and return it to life.”

He noted that the employees who will be working in the space can’t wait to get moved in.

“They are chomping at the bit about having a new space. As our system grows, we have grown, and our finance department has been doubled up in one office,” Rowland said. “We need some space for them and want to bring those departments together because they all align with our chief financial officer.”

The gym is iconic to the parish with a lot of sentimental value. Bossier Schools was aware of the building’s place in the Benton community and was careful to keep that at the forefront of their plans.

“I talked to several people in the community about the renovation and we started getting indirect responses with a lot of positivity about it,” said Rowland. “Since we started, any time I’m in the community there’s a lot of questions about what we’re doing. I recently spent 20-25 minutes talking to gentlemen who played basketball in that gym and graduated from Benton.”

That is why Bossier Schools is making an effort to keep the unique details of the gym intact, including original architectural features such as crossbeams, a hand-painted mural on the old “Tigerettes” changing room, a basketball goal, and even a restored scoreboard clock that will reside where it originally did generations ago.

“We’re making the effort to keep the structure’s original integrity and use as much of it as possible,” said Jason Cottom, engineer for Bossier Schools. “The only thing missing is the original hardwood floor.”

He noted that the project is very unique, especially since the building is one of the oldest school buildings in Bossier Parish.

“A lot of older buildings deteriorate from lack of use and neglect. We kept this building in good condition, and it has good bones to it,” Cottom said.

Heavy machinery has already cleared concrete for new parking and green space. Interior construction is underway to build out electrical and plumbing, repaint surfaces, and restore windows. 

The main goal is that the building is always remembered as the Benton High School gym. 

“It’s important for us to keep identifiable characteristics of its history,” said Cottom. “This has a lot of character and architecture in it. The exterior and fittings are all unique, you don’t see that type of construction anymore.”

The work is an example of how Bossier Schools continues to innovate and make the best use of its resources. That approach is something that Rowland says is part of his personality.

“I like history and to see old things returned to being new again. Now, we’ve got a cool building that can be returned to serve a purpose without spending millions of dollars,” he said. “There are no limits to what that building can do for us. It is going to be a wonderful space and a positive addition to Bossier Schools.”

Construction is anticipated to be completed in Fall 2024.