More than $2.5 million to be spent on major repairs to school building envelopes

Minister of Education Tom Hedderson has awarded contracts with a total value of $2,516,569 to repair or replace school roofs.

"This is a first step in meeting commitments made in the Budget Speech to address the problems caused by leaking roofs and windows in many of our schools," said Minister Hedderson. "In March, the premier announced an increase in the allocation for major maintenance projects to $12 million, in addition to the $4 million to complete previously approved projects, for a total of $16 million worth of maintenance and repair projects to be completed this year. I am pleased today to provide an update on contracts which have been awarded and those currently being tendered."

Thus far, contracts have been awarded for roof repairs or replacement at the following schools:

Beaconsfield Junior High, St. John�s
Holy Heart of Mary High, St. John�s
Queen Elizabeth Regional High, Foxtrap
Bishop Abraham Elementary, St. John�s
Gill Memorial Academy, Musgrave Harbour
Lewisporte Middle School, Lewisporte
Xavier Junior High, Deer Lake
Pasadena Elementary, Pasadena
St. Francis, Harbour Grace
Prince of Wales Collegiate, St. John�s
MacDonald Drive Junior High, St. John�s
 
Tenders have been called for the following roofing projects. Contracts are expected to be awarded within the next few weeks:

C. C. Loughlin Elementary, Corner Brook
Elwood School Complex, Deer Lake
Newtown Elementary, Mount Pearl
Mount Pearl Intermediate, Mount Pearl
MacDonald Drive Elementary, St. John�s
Menihek High School, Labrador City
A. P. Low Primary, Labrador City
Centre educatif L'ENVOL, Labrador City

Minister Hedderson noted that, recently, major roofing repairs and replacements have been concluded at Xavier Junior High, Deer Lake and Pasadena Academy, Pasadena. Work is nearing completion at Holy Cross Junior High and Hazelwood Elementary, St. John�s.
Architectural consultants engaged by the Department of Education have, or are in the process of, assessing the condition of roofs and windows in approximately 60 schools which school boards identified as being in need of repair or replacement. The projects for which contracts have been awarded represent the beginning of this year�s capital program. Tenders will close shortly for several additional projects and tenders will soon be called for improvements to other schools.

"By tendering these projects earlier than in other years, we intend to take full advantage of our short construction season and have most of the work commence when schools are closed for the summer holidays. I am confident that this approach will help avoid many of the delays experienced in previous years when much of our summer capital program stretched into the fall. This represents a commitment on the part of government to ensure our students are provided with clean, healthy learning environments and to protect our significant investment in school buildings throughout the province," said the minister.

Media contact: Nora Daly, Communications, (709) 729-1906, 728-2819

2005 05 31                        12:20 p.m.