Education
February 1, 2013

West End High School Tender Awarded

Site work is set to begin on a new high school in the west end of St. John’s with the recent awarding of a nearly $3.6 million contract to Weir’s Construction Limited of Conception Bay South. The school will be located on Topsail Road and, upon completion, will replace both Bishops College and Booth Memorial.

“The city’s changing demographics, and the aging inner-city high school infrastructure, led to the decision to construct a new school to serve about 860 students,” said the Honourable Clyde Jackman, Minister of Education. “With the site work now tendered, this is the first step towards the start of construction on this facility.”

It is anticipated the school will be completed in December, 2014.

“This is a welcome announcement for students, teachers and parents who are looking forward to construction of this facility,” said Dan Crummell, MHA for the District of St. John’s West. “I am very pleased that the new high school, which is so important to the area, is moving ahead.”

Since 2004, about $567 million has been allocated for school infrastructure throughout the province. 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.

- 30 -

Media contacts:

2013 02 01                      10:00 a.m.