Mold in racquetball courts stops use

September 19, 2007

Bureau County Republican

By Donna Barker

dbarker@...

September 18, 2007

1557.txt

PRINCETON — The Princeton Park District is dealing with a problem of

mold in the racquetball courts in the Bureau County Metro Center.

Until the problem is solved, the courts aren't being used.

At Monday's park board meeting, Executive Director Diane McCray said

she has contacted a Quad Cities firm to see about professionally

cleaning and dealing with the mold, which would be several thousand

dollars. She's waiting on other businesses to get back with their

estimates.

McCray said she also contacted the district's insurance agent about

filing a claim for the cleaning. The agent toured four sites within

the Metro Center and reported the mold in Racquetball Court 1 was

elevated.

The lobby, reception area, and basketball courts did not have

elevated amounts of mold, the insurance agent said.

The second racquetball court also had mold in it, but not at

the " elevated " condition, according to the agent.

The racquetball courts can not be used until the mold is removed,

McCray said. The mold apparently became a problem toward the end of

August, with the heavy rains, she said.

Board member Jan Milles said she was disappointed the mold wasn't

found earlier by a staff member. Someone should be doing a daily

walk-through of the building, she said.

A daily walk-through would help find small problems and get them

corrected before they become large, she said.

Board member Carl Pacunas agreed. He questioned how the mold grew

from a small problem to a big problem without someone noticing it.

However, Pacunas said he was concerned the mold issue not be blown

out of proportion.

Board member Wayne Stone said the issue is to get the mold removed

and then to take the necessary steps to prevent this from happening

again.

The racquetball courts are used by 15 to 20 people, McCray said.

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