LORDSTOWN — After being closed for 25 years, the planetarium inside Lordstown High School will be worked on this year to have it reopened for next school year.

Lordstown school officials and the board of education have been discussing having the room cleaned and renovated so that it can be used again for elementary and high school classes.

Superintendent Greg Bonamase said when he became superintendent in 2020, he discussed seeing what can be done to reopen the planetarium. He said he has spoken to different companies about bids and quotes for the project.

“We will see what we can do to put it back together and make it functional,” Bonamase said.

Bonamase said if work can be done this spring and summer, the room could be ready for use in the 2026-27 school year.

Lordstown Board of Education President Cheryl Kistler said she remembers the planetarium was used years ago by science classes and other classes. She said she and other board members agree with Bonamase on reopening the planetarium.

“It would be exciting to be able to use the planetarium again. We were all interested in the plans being discussed,” Kistler said.

The room has a large projector that allows for images such as stars and planets to be seen in a dome area on the ceiling of the room as students sit in a circle of 25 to 30 theater-type seats looking upward. There is also a large telescope.

Bonamase said various science classes could benefit from using the room such as astronomy, meteorology and geography, as well as STEM classes and programs. Bonamase estimates it may cost approximately $50,000 to do all the upgrades and replace all the equipment. He said a new projector system and sound system will be needed as equipment from the 1970s that is in there now is obsolete.

Bonamase said when talking with different companies he stressed wanting to make the room “user friendly.”

“We may be the only high school in the area that has a planetarium. If we can get this up and running again, we may be able to have other school districts come here and use the room. This would be a great resource that would not only benefit Lordstown schools, but other schools,” Bonamase said.

He said it is unique that the high school has an indoor swimming pool that is not used and a large auditorium with moveable sections and a planetarium.

“This high school has many neat features,” Bonamase said.

He said he also has been researching grants that could help cover costs.

The planetarium opened in the 1970s when the school building opened. He said a grant from NASA was used to get the room running.

“Back in the 1960s and 1970s, space exploration and the planets were hot topics,” Bonamase said, noting the planetarium was closed around 2000.

Bonamase said the room is still in good condition and has mostly been used for storage space.

Last year, the district was able to remodel two large science classrooms.