Looking down the long concrete path that leads to the entrance of the spotless new building one name must come to mind: The Chisholm trail.

It would only be fitting to place such a moniker on the sidewalk and the last several yards of new concrete given the determination and dedication of the driven individual who was instrumental in making it all happen on the campus of the Plains School District.

“This is the result of more than a decade of planning, design and hard work by a lot of people,” Superintendent Thom Chisholm said while standing on a high-tech basketball court in what is one of two main features of the new, 12,000-square foot addition. “I’m pretty happy about it.”

In addition to the sports court, which is identical in size to the existing gymnasium and comes with electric, roll-out bleachers, the building provides prized new space for the school’s arts program.

“The arts space we’ve added has been badly needed and was one of the main ideas behind the building,” he added. “We were in pretty cramped quarters before with a situation that often required students and staff to walk between two buildings with their art projects, many times in some pretty bad weather.”

The new art space, which features high tech sinks and drains that can be unclogged without removing pipes as well as a state of the art ventilation system, allows for start to finish art projects in one large space.

The room, which also has badly needed storage space, includes kilns for firing clay pots and other works of art.

“This is going to be a great addition in so many ways,” Chisholm said of the construction project, which was finished on time and did not cost taxpayers a dime. “There have been some weather-related challenges along the way but the builders have been able to work around those and stay on track.”

The nearly $1 million project was funded by a generous grant from a former Plains High student who chipped in $450,000 as a way of saying thanks for helping him get his life headed in the right direction while he attended the school in the 1940s.

The rest of the funding came from grants.

Like the proud owner of a new car, Chisholm has been shepherding the project since ground was broken nearly a year ago. He is aware of every small touch-up chore still to be done prior to the ribbon-cutting ceremony slated for Aug. 26.

Students will begin returning to school four days later on Monday, August 30.

The new gym, which features a low-maintenance rubberized floor, will go a long way in easing the scheduling strain on the existing sports arena, Chisholm said.

“We will be able to play two JV games at once,” he said. “It's going to take the pressure off the existing gym for everything from sporting events to PE classes.”

The new gym space will feature a PE office, ample storage and a new scoreboard, as well as new locker rooms and concession areas.

The entire building is wired to match and upgrade existing systems.

“The fire control systems are hooked to the main building and give us a safe system throughout the campus,” he said.

Even the heating and ventilation are high tech in the new building, he said.

“The building is heated with four different systems, fueled by electricity and propane,” Chisholm said. “It is a very efficient system to say the least.”

As workers put the finishing touches on the building, Chisholm is already looking forward to putting the structure to good use.

“This whole thing is based on what we had a perennial need for,” he said. “Fine arts and PE.”