The space between the Kingfisher APB and 13th Street will be used for additional parking for school events.

The Kingfisher Board of Education last Monday voted to increase the guaranteed maximum of the contract with Joe D. Hall General Contractors by $241,414.

That will cover the cost to construct what will provide about 45 parking spaces.

That includes making all of the space directly east of the APB’s main entrance handicap spaces.

Further to the east will be about three dozen more parking spaces.

Joe D. Hall is the construction manager for the new junior high facility being constructed south of the APB.

To make room for that, the parking lot for the high school students and the APB was taken out.

A new parking lot was constructed west of the high school and a new entrance to the APB is also being built at its northwest corner.

All of that was included in the $16.75 million bond issue passed by Kingfisher voters in September 2019.

Parking lot and paving projects within the school district also fall under the purview of that bond issue.

The district originally signed a GMAX contract with Joe D. Hall for about $9.9 million.

This increase covers the projected cost of the new lot.

It will also include new ADA pavement markings, signs and ramps, as well as additional sidewalks in the area.

Crews will work on that portion of the project in conjunction with finishing the paving at the new facility.

Kingfisher Middle School Principal Keith Campbell, who will be the principal at the new school, told board members at Monday’s meeting that the new school should be ready by Dec. 1.

“I know it may not look like it, but that’s the report I got today,” Campbell said.

For more on Monday’s meeting, see the Oct. 6 edition.