By the time you read this article, the new double-wide portables will be set up.
While those portables arrived only a few days later than the single-wide portables, crews have been taking their time to make sure everything is set up properly.
School District 59 Board Chair Chad Anderson says a lot of work has gone into that. “There was a slight delay with getting utilities in and a couple other construction elements,” says Anderson.
And another delay was caused by spring. “Unfortunately when the ground softened and thawed out in the spring there was a little movement, so back came the crane and moved them out and concrete footings were poured. Now we have concrete ramps that are in place. These are a lot more like the portable classrooms you see in a lot of schools across BC. These will be as comfortable as possible for students.”
While the concrete gives the classrooms an air of permanence, Anderson assures people that they are only temporary, and, when the school is done with them, the field will be returned to its original condition.
“Later on in the summer, we will have a central office and lunchroom building that will be coming in as well.”
He says he’s amazed at how fast this has taken place. “I just want to express deep thanks to the Ministry of Infrastructure. You’ll recall that they were created as a ministry to fast track major projects. I grew up in Alberta, so I have this congenital defect that thinks the government is slow, but I can assure you that the Ministry of Infrastructure does not move slowly. The week of the tragedy, they were on their way here coming through snowstorms and battling whatever weather they encountered. I’m amazed and impressed with their work.”
And when the students move out of the new portables? “Those are going to become property of the school district,” says Anderson. “That is much appreciated and just emphasizes how, throughout all that has happened, we have felt no lack of support from the province and we’re really appreciative of that.”
And it’s not just the province that has been supportive.
On Friday, May 8, teacher Mark Deeley asked the community to help beautify the new portables, looking for about 25-30 flower pots and baskets, and asked for donations of either baskets or cash. Within a day, he had to ask people to stop donating as they now had more than enough.
By the time you read this article, the new double-wide portables will be set up.
While those portables arrived only a few days later than the single-wide portables, crews have been taking their time to make sure everything is set up properly.
School District 59 Board Chair Chad Anderson says a lot of work has gone into that. “There was a slight delay with getting utilities in and a couple other construction elements,” says Anderson.
And another delay was caused by spring. “Unfortunately when the ground softened and thawed out in the spring there was a little movement, so back came the crane and moved them out and concrete footings were poured. Now we have concrete ramps that are in place. These are a lot more like the portable classrooms you see in a lot of schools across BC. These will be as comfortable as possible for students.”
While the concrete gives the classrooms an air of permanence, Anderson assures people that they are only temporary, and, when the school is done with them, the field will be returned to its original condition.
“Later on in the summer, we will have a central office and lunchroom building that will be coming in as well.”
He says he’s amazed at how fast this has taken place. “I just want to express deep thanks to the Ministry of Infrastructure. You’ll recall that they were created as a ministry to fast track major projects. I grew up in Alberta, so I have this congenital defect that thinks the government is slow, but I can assure you that the Ministry of Infrastructure does not move slowly. The week of the tragedy, they were on their way here coming through snowstorms and battling whatever weather they encountered. I’m amazed and impressed with their work.”
And when the students move out of the new portables? “Those are going to become property of the school district,” says Anderson. “That is much appreciated and just emphasizes how, throughout all that has happened, we have felt no lack of support from the province and we’re really appreciative of that.”
And it’s not just the province that has been supportive.
On Friday, May 8, teacher Mark Deeley asked the community to help beautify the new portables, looking for about 25-30 flower pots and baskets, and asked for donations of either baskets or cash. Within a day, he had to ask people to stop donating as they now had more than enough.
Trent is the publisher of Tumbler RidgeLines.
