Shelter House No. 1 closed

An orange plastic fence along with "No Trespassing" signs now surround Shelter House No. 1 at Gunn Park. The shelter house was recently closed due to the discovery of structural damage and a danger of collapse.
(Michael Pommier/Tribune)

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Professional Engineering Consultants, P.A., recently released a letter to the City of Fort Scott reporting findings of structural cracking along with horizontal and vertical displacement in the shelter house which is believed to have been built in the 1930s.

"This slab has become a concern due to visible cracking, degradation and displacement," engineers noted in the letter.

PEC noted that several locations on the first floor are showing damage which could lead to a collapse.

"Any superimposed live loading could cause local collapse of the structural slab system," the letter stated.

Fort Scott City Manager Joe Turner said the shelter house has been closed until the problems can be fixed. He said the issue will come before the Fort Scott City Commission at the meeting on March 2.

"We need to remedy those as quickly as possible," he said.

PEC's letter suggested two possible solutions; fix the problems in their entirety or fix them temporarily which would allow the shelter house to be used during the summer. Turner said the city is looking for a "permanent solution."

"[Temporary] shoring would be extensive and more than likely would restrict any use of the basement area ... More permanent remedial actions should be undertaken as soon as possible."

Turner said the city will be looking into the possibility of doing the repairs in phases which would allow the city to fix the cracking permanently over time.

With the damage to the spillway and the sinkhole at the back of the park and the closing of the shelter house, several events such as Freedom Fest, Good Ol' Days, and the upcoming 100 Year Old Celebration of Gunn Park are left wondering if the park will be available.

Turner said the future of the events have not yet been discussed, but they organizers are aware of the situation.

"The people who have scheduled the shelter house are aware of this and we won't be scheduling anything in the shelter until we get it fixed," he said.