School district offers progress report as Hodag Dome project continues

The School District of Rhinelander has provided another update on the ongoing repair project at the Hodag Dome.

“Favorable weather conditions, particularly calm winds, have allowed the repair crew to safely and efficiently remove a significant amount of water from the dome’s surface,” district officials said in a press release issued this afternoon. “The District would like to thank CD Smith and the City of Rhinelander for their help in the removal of water over the past few days.”

While an exact timeline cannot be guaranteed, the team is working diligently in hopes of reinflating the dome during the first full week of May, the release continued. This schedule may need to be adjusted based on changing weather conditions, including wind and rain.

Once the dome is reinflated, the focus will shift to repairing three known structural tears — located near the main support pole, a light fixture, and the northeast corner of the dome, district officials said. After these areas are sealed and the structure is deemed sound, a full interior assessment will be conducted. The goal is to complete all repairs by the end of May.

“The district is also working closely with its insurance provider to fully investigate the cause of the generator failure and to identify steps to prevent a similar issue in the future,” the release states.

The 128,000 square foot air-supported dome collapsed on March 30 after a backup generator did not turn on during an ice storm-related power outage.