Kalona City Council met on March 5. Photo by Sam McIntosh.

Electrical and sprinkler system work on the new Kalona Community Center will force the city hall offices to be closed March 12 and 13.

City Administrator Ryan Schlabaugh told the city council that Summit Companies have installed the sprinkler system in the community center addition and are shifting their work to the south end of the building, “They’ve asked us due to timing, as well as the fire marshal, as well as the electrician, to have access to our space on the 12th and 13th. Which is going to mean that we’re going to close the city hall for those two days to accommodate them to come in for those two days to do sprinkler, sprinkler inspection because it’s a usable space now, as well as the electrical for the hardwired fire alarms.”

The roof is completed on the community center, and contractors have been heating the ground since last week with a temporary furnace. Crews are doing compaction tests and soil probing to test that all the frost has been removed so cement can be poured. Contract manager Carl A. Nelson will be giving an update on the budget and construction progress to the city council in April.