Big bill for repairs
Local schools’ roofs, walls, windows and boilers are aging
WATERLOO REGION — Local schools are in better repair than schools elsewhere but their roofs, walls, windows and boilers are aging and the repair bill will be high, according to a new report.
The Record analyzed maintenance backlogs to discover that 165 local schools need $368 million in repairs within five years. That’s based on Ministry of Education data released this month.
The outstanding repairs are valued at 20 per cent of the cost of fully replacing every local school. This is better than Ontario’s overall number, with outstanding repairs valued at 27 per cent of replacement costs.
“We are pleased that our ongoing program of maintenance means our schools are in better condition than the provincial average,” Kathleen Woodcock, chair of the public school board, said in a statement.
Local schools aren’t decaying equally, with Catholic schools decaying faster than public schools, the report shows. Highlights:
The Waterloo Region District School Board ranks 21 out of 72 school boards for the condition of its schools, with 116 schools needing $244 million in repairs.
The Waterloo Catholic District School Board ranks 39 out of 72 boards for the condition of its schools. It has 49 schools needing $123 million in repairs.
17 of 20 local schools rated in the worst shape are in the Catholic board.
“Parents will begin to see more work being done around their schools as funds flow to us and we plan and carry out work,” Shesh Maharaj, treasurer of the Catholic school board, said in a statement.
He cited increased funding for school repairs provided by the Liberal government.
Tiny St. Agatha Catholic Elementary School in Wilmot Township tops local schools in decay. It’s in worse shape than 98 per cent of Ontario schools, The Record found. Trustees will vote again next year on closing it. It’s the third closure vote the school has faced in nine years, after twice dodging the axe.
With 97 students, St. Agatha operates at just over half its capacity, has entrances and pathways that are not fully accessible, a gymnasium ramp that doesn’t meet the building code, and steep slopes. It needs almost $2 million in work on its walls, roof, ceilings, doors, classrooms, plumbing and pipes, which approaches the cost to fully replace it at just over $2 million.
Parents accuse the school board of deliberately letting the school decay.
“They just let it kind of go and this is what happens,” St. Agatha parent Connie Snofl said. “Then they can say ‘Oh we’ve got to close it because it’s going to cost too much.’”
“They neglected it,” parent Rosemary Kittel-McCormick said. “I will fight to the end … We still need rural schools.”
Other Catholic schools rated in poor shape include St. Gregory in Cambridge, which has had recent upgrades, and St. Clement in Wellesley Township, which may get a deep renovation if St. Agatha closes.
“Schools will always be kept safe for students,” Maharaj said. “If a school gets to the point it is not safe, we will relocate students while repairs or other alternatives are reviewed and carried out.”
King Edward in Kitchener is the public school most in decay.
The board says it’s planning $600,000 in upgrades. The second-worst is Ayr Public School in North Dumfries. It’s getting a new roof.
The Record analyzed 4,654 Ontario schools using data from the education ministry. The government measures disrepair by comparing five years of outstanding maintenance to the cost to fully replace a school.
For example if it costs $1 million to replace a school but $100,000 to repair it, the facility’s condition index is rated at 0.1 (the ratio of repair to replace).
Generally, the higher this number, the poorer the condition of the building, the government says.
Local schools rate on average at 0.2 with Catholic schools at 0.25 and public schools at 0.18. Ontario schools rate on average at 0.27.
The province has a total school maintenance backlog of $15.4 billion.