The Hodag Dome in Rhinelander rises again.
The School District of Rhinelander says the Dome was successfully re-inflated last week.
Repair work goes on after the dome was damaged during an ice storm earlier this year when power failed and a back-up generator failed to operate to keep the dome up.
In the past several days, cables on the exterior of the Dome were adjusted, and patching of exterior holes was completed.
Now they’re working on patching holes inside the dome.
Lighting repairs are also underway, with improvements planned for lighting over the tennis courts.
While the Dome itself is progressing well, repairs to the tennis courts and track—both of which sustained damage—will need to be done at a later date.
A report from Arizon, which is doing the repair work, says the Dome should be ready to host Rhinelander High School's graduation ceremony on June 1st.
A final decision on the location of graduation will be made by the end of next week.
Work is also ongoing to improve the Dome’s emergency power system.
Superintendent Eric Burke expressed his appreciation for the collaborative efforts that have brought the Dome closer to full functionality:
“We are incredibly grateful to our School District of Rhinelander maintenance team, the Arizon team, CD Smith, and the City of Rhinelander for their hard work and continued support throughout this process. The progress we’ve made is a testament to the power of collaboration and community.”
Burke also extended his gratitude to the greater Rhinelander community for its ongoing patience and encouragement:
“Thank you to our community for your support and understanding as we work through this challenge. The Hodag Dome has become such an important resource to our school district and the broader community, and we are committed to restoring it to full use as quickly and safely as possible.”
The district maintenance team is actively coordinating with insurance company engineers, as well as representatives from Trane and Wolter, to enhance the reliability of backup power in the event of an outage.
