Education
November 15, 2012

Rebuild of William Gillett Academy Set to Begin

Work is progressing on the rebuild of William Gillett Academy in Charlottetown, Labrador, with the awarding of a $136,617 tender to Budgell’s Equipment and Rentals of Triton for the partial demolition of the existing school.

“The demolition of the classroom wing in the existing building should be completed by the end of the year,” said the Honourable Clyde Jackman, Minister of Education. “With students now being accommodated in newly-constructed short-term classroom space, and this tender awarded, the William Gillett school community is one step closer to enjoying a modern and permanent learning environment.”

Meanwhile, planning and design work for the construction of the K-12 school’s new instructional spaces is ongoing, and the tender for that work is expected to be awarded in the spring. The anticipated occupancy date for the rebuilt school is September 2014.

The Provincial Government announced in June that it was committing $7 million to build short-term classrooms adjacent to the Charlottetown recreation centre and, in the longer term, to completely rebuild all classroom and administrative spaces at William Gillett Academy. The only part of the existing school which will remain is the gymnasium, which was built in 1993 and will be renovated as part of this project. The temporary classroom space will then be reconfigured as the community’s new town hall.

Since 2004, about $567 million has been allocated for school infrastructure throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. Nine new schools have opened; 10 more are in various stages of planning or construction; 12 major extension and renovation projects have been completed, and seven more are underway or in the planning stages.

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Media contact:
Heather May
Director of Communications
Department of Education
709-729-0048, 697-5061
heathermay@gov.nl.ca

2012 11 15                       11:45 p.m.