Schools Receive Funds for Urgent Repairs
Schools in Nova Scotia are getting another $6.8 million to address repair and upgrade priorities. This funding is in addition to the $12.2 million committed in June, for a total of $19 million this year.
"We know there's a great demand for school construction and renovation, but we can only meet that demand over time," said Education Minister Jane Purves. "With help from our partners in the school boards, we've developed a plan to ensure we spend our limited resources on the most urgent priorities first."
The department is taking a new approach to allocating renovation dollars. Previously, when a school renovation project was identified, repairs were done only at that school; other schools with repair needs waited. Now, a number of schools will have urgent priorities completed simultaneously. This approach spreads available dollars among more schools, meets the most pressing needs first and allows for bulk tendering that reduces costs.
Improvement projects include Robb joist repairs, roof, flooring, door and window replacements, plumbing and electrical upgrades, accessibility improvements and more. The majority of the work will be done over the summer months.
The $19 million breakdown is as follows:
Annapolis Valley Regional School Board -- $2,795,676 Cape Breton Victoria Regional School Board -- $2,088,967 Chignecto Central Regional School Board -- $2,479,675 Conseil scolaire acadien provincial -- $4,117,561 Halifax Regional School Board -- $4,822,000 Strait Regional School Board -- $1,000,000 South West Regional School Board -- $1,295,500
A further $400,621 has been set aside for design fees, building inspections, contingency funds and other costs.
The Acadian school board's amount includes $3 million in renovations to Ecole secondaire de Clare. The renovations will include new roofing, upgrades its classrooms and specialize instruction spaces such as science labs, and a new entrance and lobby. In addition, there is a new two-storey cafetorium that will serve as a cafeteria and auditorium.
The department is working with school boards on a long-term plan for repairs and renovations. A decision on new construction is expected later this year.