The Veterans Memorial Coliseum is closed for repairs following a partial ceiling collapse.

Terry Gray, parks and recreation director, said Sunday morning Parks and Recreation staff went to the Coliseum, 20 W. State St. and discovered the ceiling had fallen in the Blue Room, a room used for several exercise activities. A large chunk of plaster was found on the floor, but no one was in the room or injured when it fell.

“The rest of the ceiling is being removed for everyone’s safety,” Gray said. “The ceiling is a very thick plaster ceiling. We do not know why it failed.”

The Coliseum was built in 1928. Gray said the ceiling won’t be patched, but instead will be removed and then replaced at some point.

“We have no immediate plans for what kind of ceiling we will put back in its place,” Gray said. “We are trying to get it ready for use again. We want to make it safe again.”

By the end of the week the Coliseum is expected to be cleaned up to start activities again on Monday, Gray said.

“The dust that is created from the removal has kind of got in the gym area,” Gray said. “We just really aren’t using the building right now until all the plaster is down and cleaned up.”