As usual, once students are out on summer holidays, maintenance crews from the Rainy River District School Board will begin work on district schools.
The most extensive project this year will be the reconstruction of J.W. Walker School’s gymnasium, which was destroyed after a gas leak sparked an explosion and fire there back in February.
“We’ll be going on to tender on it shortly,” noted Raymond Roy, superintendent of plant operations and maintenance for the public school board.
“There will be a partial demolition. There are certain parts that have to come down,” he explained.
Roy said the entire roof structure has to be removed and rebuilt. As well, one of the block walls will have to be taken down because it was severely damaged in the blast.
“We’re still fine-tuning the exact details, but that’s generally what we’re going to be doing,” he remarked.
Due to the extensive nature of the project, Roy said the gym reconstruction won’t be complete before summer holidays end and students return to school.
“It’ll be late fall, early winter before it’s finished. It’s going to take a few months, for sure,” he stressed, adding Walker students will have to continue holding their phys. ed. classes outdoors when they return in September.
Meanwhile, other district schools will be getting a facelift over the summer months. Crews will be painting, cutting grass, and adding sand and tilling all playgrounds.
Heating systems, boilers, and cooling coils will be cleaned and repaired at all schools in preparation for the winter season while all fire alarms, extinguishers, electrical panels, elevators, and sprinkler systems will be inspected.
In addition, specific projects at each school will be carried out during the summer break.
For instance, the hardwood stage floor at Sturgeon Creek School will be resurfaced and the storage shed repaired while a new vanity and sink will be installed in the staff washroom at Robert Moore School.
Fort Frances High School will see more speed bumps installed, fencing repaired, the gym’s hardwood floor refinished, and a Special Education room constructed.
Crossroads in Devlin will have its parking lot expanded while Donald Young School in Emo will have its “Reading Recovery” room renovated.
Significant work also will be done at Atikokan High School.
“We’re really trying to improve the curb appeal [there],” Roy remarked, noting the parking lot will be paved and landscaping done at the Grayson Hall entrance.
The security system also will be upgraded, a storage room constructed, and the woodshop floor replaced.
“I have a software program that identifies all the needs in all the buildings,” Roy replied when asked how the facility projects for the summer are determined.
“We do life cycling costing,” he explained. “If something is at the end of its useful life cycle, then we review it and try to fit it into the budget.”
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
