Heather Latter
Despite construction of the new wing of Donald Young School falling further behind schedule, it is not expected to affect the overall completion of the project.
Travis Enge, manager of plant operations and maintenance for the Rainy River District School Board, noted while weather this summer caused a number of delays, more progress is expected in the coming weeks.
“The contractor did have a tough time with weather,” he conceded, referring to frequent thunderstorms and heavy downpours that occurred through the summer months.
“And especially with this project, there was a lot of clay in that area so they struggled with that and it slowed them down a bit.”
In fact, based on the original schedule, Finn Way General Contractor Inc. of Thunder Bay is behind by about 10 weeks.
“But we had quite a buffer between that phase of the project and the summer phase,” Enge explained.
“We’re still on track to have that building completed by the time school is finished and that’s what really matters.”
Enge noted they had included a 14-week buffer into the plans so a good portion of that has been used up. But the contractor has assured the board they are looking to make up some time this fall.
“They are out of the clay now and all of that excavation work is completed,” he said.
Enge added the footings and the piers are done now, and they currently are forming and pouring all the grade beams.
“So there are piers and then grade beams on that that the whole building sits on,” he explained. “So they are busy doing that, and we should see a slab poured there by the end of October and then walls and a roof to follow.
“They will be trying to get all closed up so that they can start working on the interior throughout the winter.”
The new building is expected to be completed in the spring. Then once school is out for the summer, the board will begin moving items over.
It is expecting students and staff to be in the new wing for the 2017-18 school year.
“And once we get that emptied out, they will start to demolish the old wing next summer,” Enge said.
He added there is a tie-in between the new wing and the existing gym and remaining classroom—and all that will be completed next summer, as well.
Once the contract is completed, a team will move on to the site plan, such as curbs, paving, and a playground.
“The playground reinvestment money that has been allocated for playgrounds,” Enge said.
“Donald Young is hanging on to theirs until the construction is done and then we’ll be revitalizing their playground, too.”
Meanwhile, Enge added there’s been a smooth transition back into the school year at the Emo school despite the major construction zone in the front yard.
“The students still have a considerable amount of the field to play in,” he remarked, noting they lost some of the field alongside the road where they were stockpiling the excavation.
“But the majority is still available and everybody seems to be doing fine.”
Enge also stressed safety has been key.
“The construction site is completely fenced off,” he said, adding the main entrance of the school was relocated to the far end of the school closest to the curling club.
They have included a buzzer system for entry, as well as some extra cameras, since the main office is so far away from the main entrance.
Enge said the former front door is kept locked because the construction is happening directly outside.
Another entrance on the opposite side of the building has been converted into the fire exit.
“There have been no complaints that I’m aware of,” Enge noted, adding the “Kiss ’n Ride” loop for picking up and dropping off students is working.
Crews added some gravel to the parking area and “Kiss ’n Ride” because it was getting soft.
“We just want to keep it firmed up so people are not getting muddy getting in and out of cars,” Enge reasoned.
Additional parking has been allowed by the Township of Emo at the curling club next door.
“So we will be plowing our parking area and their parking area, as well as behind the curling club, so that there will be a walking path to get to the entrance of the school,” Enge said.
The kindergarten-Grade 8 school, which was deemed “prohibitive to repair” back in 2003, has had a few updates done over the past decade.
After trustees voted against administration’s recommendation to consolidate DYS, Crossroads, and Sturgeon Creek back in February, 2014, the board agreed to proceed with an investigation into the DYS renovation project.
It ultimately was decided a rebuild of the school’s main classroom wing was in its best interest.
Enge said the new wing will house seven classrooms, a new administration area, library, staff room, bathrooms, a special education room, a resource room, a speech therapy room, a circle room, and a mechanical and electrical room.
The section currently housing the gym and library will remain, with the library reverting back to a classroom.
“Everybody is excited to see the new building done and that’s what we’re working towards,” Enge stressed.
