The board of education voted Thursday night to replace the 53-year-old floor in the DCHS gymnasium.

Director of Schools Patrick Cripps told the board at the April meeting that while the aged floor already had problems, the recent discovery of a termite infestation sounded the death knell for the surface, which is original to the school.

"We actually thought it was a moisture issue,” Cripps said. “We had a company come in, and when they cut the floor open down on one end termites started flying everywhere. The moisture from the termites is starting to cause warpage of the floor. It's now on the playing surface and getting worse. We have sanded it down as much as we could, and put wood filler in, but it is not in good shape. It's especially not in playing shape. We had a couple of people come in and look at the floor and give us prices on what products they could give us,” Cripps said. “The floor has been there since 1963. I think the last time they screened it down they said that would be the last time they could because they were just about down to the nail heads on it.”

While estimates on the replacement run more than $150,000, the director said that money already in the school system's capital outlay fund will cover the fix.

“I don't want anyone to think we're putting athletics before education. That is not the case here. We have to look at a safety issue with our kids and the possibility that somebody could get hurt playing ball. The money will come out of our capital outlay fund. That money is used for projects such as this to enhance the building. It will not come out of any teacher line item in the budget or anything like that. It is designated for the upkeep of our buildings, the director said.