Omemee school addition ‘progressing forward nicely’
The weather may have thrown out a few curve balls, but work to complete an addition at an Omemee school remains on target for a June completion.
Trillium Lakelands District School Board superintendent of business services, Tim Ellis, shared this update with trustees during Tuesday night’s board meeting.
The update also included a drone video showing current progress made on the construction of new classrooms and an EarlyON Child Care Centre at Scott Young Public School.
“The project is progressing forward nicely,” said Ellis noting, as an example, the walls were poured on site and secured in place while students were off during the March break.
“They’re looking at putting on the roof sometime in the next few weeks.”
The project is a long time coming given the board began looking at the potential need to close either Scott Young or Lady Eaton Elementary School due to significantly declining enrolment.
The accommodation review process began in 2016. The board chose to close Lady Eaton as, despite being a larger school, Scott Young is a newer facility with a larger gymnasium. The school is also situated on property that could accommodate expansion.
While it was anticipated that Lady Eaton students would transition over to Scott Young in 2019, a number of issues delayed the project, such as plan approvals by the government and funding. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March 2020, the project was essentially shelved to focus on greater priorities.
The school board turned its attention back to the project in 2022 and in March 2023 announced $5.9 million in provincial funding, including approval of 104 new kindergarten spaces, 49 new childcare spaces, three new childcare rooms and a dedicated room for EarlyON programming.
Ellis noted a number of time– and cost–saving measures have contributed to the project. It is hoped to have work completed in time to give Lady Eaton students a sneak peek before they start their new school year.
Staff will use the summer to transfer necessary equipment from Lady Eaton to Scott Young.
What will happen to Lady Eaton once it is vacated remains unknown, but there is no plan to sell the building and property at this time.
What will happen to Lady Eaton once it is vacated remains unknown, but there is no plan to sell the building and property at this time