MUNSTER | Safety was among the most critical issues as architects worked on their new design concepts and layouts for upgrades to both the Munster High School pool and track and field, they said.

Architect Tom Neff, of Schmidt Associates in Indianapolis, presented a series of slides to the School Board recently with the proposed upgrades that also had been reviewed with town officials.

"The spirit of our conversations was that there was flexibility and opportunity," Neff said. "They want to work with us."

The new pool will sit west of the existing tennis courts and north of the high school and will be oriented north to south on the property.

The property line on the west is adjacent to parkland.

The current 40-year-old pool does not meet safety standards and must be overfilled to meet the minimum for diving. The ends of the new pool would be 7 feet and 17 feet and the middle would rise to about 4 feet to accommodate instruction.

Architects said the 35th Street driveway could be configured for a school bus lineup and keep car traffic separate.

"We'd have a loop drive around the school campus that is nicely connected - that would be serviceable and with fewer impediments," Neff said.

Both entrances to the proposed track complex on the east side of Columbia Avenue will be aligned with the parking lot entrances on the school side, which is to the west. A gateway is proposed to create a controlled entry area.

The new entrances would have embossed or colored pavement treatment to accentuate the crossing points.

"When the driveways don't line up it creates a lot of confusion about where to cross the street," Neff said. "We created a more definite statement as to where to cross."

To the north, the current entrance will be better aligned with the high school's main entrance. To the south, the current exit from the main south parking lot will be aligned with a second entrance to the field.

A drop-off lane also was discussed. It could be created between the roadway and the bleachers for student drop-off and emergency vehicle access during an event.

Cost estimates on the work and the taxpayer impact will be discussed at a public hearing at 7 p.m. Dec. 1 in the administration building, 8616 Columbia Ave., where drawings are on display.

Pictures, detailed summaries and design concepts also can be viewed online at Schmidt-arch.com/owners/munster.html.