Trustees met at Dryden High School on Tuesday, March 5, 2019, for a regular Board Meeting.
Trustees awarded Finn Way General Contractor Inc. the Ear Falls Public School Capital Renovation Project at a total cost of $7,780,539, resourced through announced School Condition Improvement funding from the Ontario Ministry of Education. Details of the renovation include:
- Major renovation work to all program areas throughout the school to replace and reorganize classrooms with new layouts, finishes and systems upgrades including:
- Fully enclosed classrooms to improve noise control and classroom functionality
- Heating and ventilation upgrades to improve indoor environmental quality and energy performance
- ITS infrastructure replacement throughout (cabling, wireless access, projection)
- New tunable LED lighting in each classroom
- New millwork storage with classroom sinks and built-in teachers' desk units
- New exterior roofing, insulation, cladding and windows which will drastically improve the energy performance and internal comfort for students and staff
- Redesigned spaces such as the library, administration, gymnasium, and washrooms to ensure they are fully accessible, as well as staff work areas
- New landscaping including a new parking lot, stormwater management, sidewalks and fencing to provide improved access into and around the school
Renovation work at Ear Falls Public School will begin this month with fully occupied classrooms by September 2019. Non-classroom and exterior work will continue into the fall of 2019.
Trustees awarded the Sioux Mountain Public School (Sioux Lookout) Roof Replacement Contract Tender to Lakehead Roofing & Metal Cladding Ltd. for a total cost of $1,100,000. Replacement of the room at Sioux Mountain is funded through School Condition Improvement funding from the Ontario Ministry of Education.
Trustees also received an update on the Beaver Brae Secondary School Capital Project. Currently out to tender, Phase 1 of the Beaver Brae capital project is expected to reach a total budget of approximately $6 million. With construction anticipated to begin in late April with completion in March 2020, the scope of work for Phase 1 includes:
- A new dramatic arts room that includes telescopic seating for up to 150 people, as well as a new performance stage and theatre sound and lighting to accommodate the currently fastest growing program at the school
- A large visual arts studio with lots of open space and natural light
- A new welding/manufacturing shop
- Relocation of Beaver Brae's popular Bike Shop to improve external access to the program and storage
- Upgraded Food and Nutrition/Hospitality space with new equipment to accommodate high demand for those programs
- Fully upgraded state of the art Communications Technology lab including a video broadcasting studio and green room, photo studio for digital photography and a new computer lab layout
- A new fitness and weight room more than double the size of the current space to support personal fitness among students and staff
- Upgraded cafeteria with new layout including booths and charging stations
Phase 2 of capital project work at Beaver Brae will upgrade the schools parking lot and athletic field and improve accessibility at the school.
Sean Monteith, Director of Education, stated "These three capital projects, including a complete rebuild of Ear Falls Public School and the renewal of the Beaver Brae Secondary School's Tech Wing, have been identified as major priorities for the Board, and will bring equity of opportunities to the young people of Ear Falls and Kenora."
