PETERBOROUGH — The $4 million renovation and expansion project of the ConVal High School gymnasium started this week, just two weeks before the start of classes.

“It's going to be a project that is really ongoing for a big percentage of the school year,” said ConVal Principal Brian Pickering.

Contractors started by fencing off the construction area and relocating plants and trees.

Modular locker rooms and offices have also been added to the campus to accommodate the physical education and athletics departments during the construction phase.

“The disruption is going to be primarily to our physical education program,” Pickering said.

Because of that, classes have been planned around outdoor activities and indoor space has been rented across the street at an industrial park, Pickering said.

“Other than that the school day will not be interrupted. The academic wing of our school will not be disrupted. It will be business as usual, other than construction vehicles everywhere,” Pickering said.

If winter comes early this year, the physical education department could introduce snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, both of which the school has wanted to add, Pickering said.

The only indoor fall sport, volleyball, will hold games in the nearby South Meadow School gymnasium.

“The hope would be we could use our home gym for basketball, at least by the middle of winter,” Pickering said.

The wresting and cheerleading teams also use the gym during winter, so contingency plans for all three sports are to be devised in case the construction project runs long, Pickering said.

There are too many variables with the project to announce a possible completion date, Pickering said.

The project includes a complete renovation of the gym and fitness room and will bring new flooring and lighting. As well as a new athletic training room, a concession stand and additional offices, classrooms and a conference room all dedicated to the athletics department and physical education and health classes will be added.

The long-awaited project will also get the school closer to its goal of being ADA compliant, with wheelchairs ramps and an elevator. And with new classrooms in use, the high school will be closer to its goal of discontinuing the use of modular class rooms and offices for the alternative education program.

“We're very appreciative that there is construction going on,” Pickering said. “There are no complaints on our end.”

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Meghan Pierce may be reached at mpierce@newstote.com.