Funds have been secured for the new Brantley High School gymnasium, as the Crenshaw County Board of Education agreed to a $1.7 million loan from “Crenshaw County banks.”

Superintendent Randy Wilkes said the payment would be around $12,000 monthly for the building.

The board gave its blessing in October for Wilkes to seek the loan terms to help pay for the new facility, which will have an estimated 700-person seating capacity.

Previously, the board heard from architect Walter McKee of McKee and Associates, who showed them plans and photographs of the inside and outside of the Billingsley High School gym, which seats 800 people and would cost in the $1.6 million range, and included a brick and metal façade, vaulted ceilings, durable toilets and conglomerate sinks.

Initially, talks were to construct the gym in the area between the cafeteria, field house and high school building, but has since changed to the south end of campus either in the current parking lot, which would be located behind the home stands or in the location of the gravel parking lot near the early childhood building.

Wilkes said in October that the location would be dependant upon soil tests as it would not be feasible to spend a large sum of the $1.7 million on site prep work.

Board member Steve Sanders abstained for voting on Monday night’s terms due to the fact that he is employed by one of the banks.