Work to begin in coming weeks on Columbia High School auditorium

MAPLEWOOD, NJ __ Work is expected to begin in coming weeks at Columbia High School’s auditorium, with a significant portion to be completed in March 2025. Supt. Jason Bing shared an update on the stage rigging repair project with the community on Tuesday. He wrote that over the past several months, district administration, along with parent volunteers have worked together to plan essential improvements to the auditorium. A final plan for critical rigging repairs was developed in July, following a series of meetings. Last month a purchase order was issued to the rigging company and work is slated to begin in coming weeks. Coordination work is underway with the vendor. The rigging repair involves replacing all of the existing rigging in the CHS auditorium with new equipment, while also incorporating “some modest modernization of the hardware.” Bing noted that the current stage safety system will be removed and replaced with an updated version. Existing audio/visual equipment will be “carefully removed and then reinstalled, focusing on preserving and reusing as much current hardware as possible.” Bing said the district anticipates “that a significant portion of the project will be completed by March 2025,” but tempered expectations. “However, as with any construction project, there may be unforeseen delays related to materials or other construction issues,” he wrote. Phase 2 of the project will involve collaborating with the parent volunteers to begin discussions on updates to the lighting and audio/visual systems in the CHS auditorium. He said their “support has been instrumental in advancing the rigging replacement.” “We are grateful for the partnership of our parent volunteers and the continued support of the SOMSD community. We will continue to provide updates on this project as it progresses,” Bing wrote.

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