According to Timmins Today, the District School Board Ontario North East has a busy schedule for summer projects which include landscaping the track and artificial turf field at Timmins High and the construction of a new 3,237 square foot YMCA child care centre at Schumacher Public School.
The Ontario School Board District has more than 200 projects planned this summer estimated at $18 million.
"It's one of the busiest summers for upgrades we've ever had. It's definitely a lot of work to do in a short period of time."
The Manager of Building Services, Carole Horton
Some of the summer projects are as follows:
- Installation of LED signs in front of all the schools
- Replacement of school PA systems
- Roof replacements at Iroquois Falls Secondary School and Kapuskasing District High School
- A foundation upgrade at Kapuskasing District High School
- Installation of energy efficient retro-fit LED lighting at Schumacher Public School, R. Ross Beattie Senior Public School and Timiskaming District Secondary School
Carole Horton also added, "We will be re-tendering the ventilation projects for new smudging rooms in all of our high schools, as well as Ross Beattie. We will also begin our plumbing retrofits to replace old lead piping. We will be starting our Timmins area schools and anticipate working in our other communities next year."
The new YMCA child care center will be located in the Northern wing of Schumacher Public School and will include infant, toddler and preschool spaces with an accessible area. Board chair, Bob Brush stated, "Access to quality licensed child care is important to our families. We are proud that we will be able to bring this to our young families in Schumacher."
Landscaping has already started on a brand new $3.3 million track at the Timmins High and Vocational School and will include an artificial turf field. The artificial turf is expected to be installed this summer and the special rubberized track is scheduled to be installed next year. Director of Education, Lesleigh Dye, said "The new track will become the first of its kind in Timmins, and the only artificial turf field north of North Bay. We're quite excited to unveil the finished product."
Kris Koskela, health and physical education department head at Timmins High, said "Our athletic Department is really thrilled about our new artificial field. Installation of the new track will allow our track and field team to practice on our own property and eliminate the expense of renting the Timmins Regional Athletics and Soccer Complex." Kris Koskela also added, "We look forward to having a top of the line facility which will allow us to host board track and field meets, High School NEOAA Championships, NEOAA Central Division track meets and OFSAA soccer. We will also be looking to host annual High School and Elementary Soccer tournaments during the Fall and Spring seasons."
Per the Pantagraph, Bloomington High School is anticipating an 8,000 square foot fine arts expansion this summer. BHS Band Director, Max Chernick said, "This expansion is for current and future students, as well as those who came before. There were 100 kids in band when I started 14 years ago and now it's up to 180. We didn't fit in the old space. This will help alleviate growth." Bloomington District 87 Superintendent, Barry Reilly, had stated that this $4.5 million project will not cause a property tax increase. It will be completed by Johnco Construction of Mackinaw and the designer is Francois Associates Architects of Bloomington. This addition will include a band room with a rehearsal space, two offices and a library for books and music. This reconstruction will provide room for instrument and uniform storage, more restrooms and an attached dressing room. Completion is scheduled for August 1st for the fine arts wing.
Tri-Valley High School in Downs has started the first of three major renovation phases. In March, voters approved a referendum that enabled the school board to issue $15 million in bonds for the renovation project. The first phase will include a parking lot expansion, a new fitness center and classrooms for shop, art and agriculture which is expected to be finished this summer. Tri-Valley Superintendent, David Mouser, said, "Everything is on schedule. We have multiple crews working on multiple facets. We have a long way to go but we're off to a good start."
Forthcoming work will include remodeled classrooms, a flexible auditorium space, two court gymnasium, secure entryway, remodeled kitchen, updated building finishes and integration of technology. Construction is being handled by Midwest Construction Professionals of Morton and the design work is by BLDD Architects of Decatur. The other phases will be done each summer with a predicted completion date of summer of 2020.
Minonk based Fieldcrest School District No. 6 is also planning a $25 million construction project which will include a new high school building in Minonk and new junior high school building in Wenona. Dan Oakley, Fieldcrest Superintendent, said "Our 10 year health and life safety survey came back with $20 million to $25 million of work that needed to be done in those two buildings. The board has been aware for some time that there were significant issues that needed to be addressed." Oakley stated that the junior high and high school, built in the 1920's and 1930's, needed electrical, plumbing, structural work along with modern educational upgrades. District voters will be able to vote in November on a referendum for the approval of these projects.
In the meantime, Fieldcrest will work this summer to complete $2.5 million in safety improvements such as new windows and doors and replacing the water supply at the Intermediate School in Toluca and Fieldcrest Primary School in Minonk.
According to the DeSoto Times Tribune, the DeSoto County school District is also working on several projects for this summer. The projects call for the replacement of windows at Southaven Elementary School, replacement of the HVAC system at Horn Lake Intermediate, an HVAC retro-fit project at Hernando High School, renovation work at Olive Branch Intermediate School, parking lot construction at Hernando High School and overlay work at DeSoto Central High School.
