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Trustees updated on Jarvie and Fawcett schools

Pembina Hills school division trustees received an update regarding the disposition of Jarvie School and W.R.
Work is proceeding on the installation of modular classrooms at the new Pembina North Community School.
Work is proceeding on the installation of modular classrooms at the new Pembina North Community School.

Pembina Hills school division trustees received an update regarding the disposition of Jarvie School and W.R. Frose School at their meeting last Wednesday, providing answers to several of the questions posed by the residents of Jarvie and Fawcett about the state of the two buildings.

Director of facilities and transportation Tracy Tyreman and assistant Supt. of employee services and facilities Wendy Scinski delivered the report, which followed two meetings with community groups about the possibility of taking over W.R. Frose School and Jarvie School on July 16.

Both buildings will be empty for the start of the coming school year, with the students moving to the new K-9 Pembina North Community School in Dapp.

At the W.R. Frose School meeting, residents had asked whether or not the Fawcett Community Hall and the skating rink were located on Pembina Hills’ property.

Scinski said that Grant Widdup, the division’s assistant secretary-treasurer, had done some research and could not find any agreement between Pembina Hills and the Fawcett Agricultural Society (PACO) regarding the hall and skating rink.

She said a property survey will be conducted Sept. 7 and it will be determined at that time if the rink and hall are on the division’s property.

Tyreman noted that survey people are quite busy at this time of year and that was the earliest date he could arrange a survey.

It was noted that Dave Doke of PACO had agreed to contact board chair Kim Webster by Nov. 15 if the group was interested in taking over the school.

At the Jarvie meeting, residents had asked about asbestos within the building and the state of its roof.

Scinski said an asbestos assessment had since been completed and it was determined that the situation was fine, as the asbestos was encapsulated.

Tyreman noted he had two reports detailing the type of asbestos in Jarvie School and identifying other hazardous materials in the building, such as mercury contained in fluorescent lights.

Tyreman said these substances were only a concern if the building were to be modified or demolished. “You have to follow proper procedure before you can just rip up a wall,” he said.

He said his next step would be to give these reports, which also detail how these materials can be managed, to their contacts within the community, including former principal Gordon Lea.

Regarding the status of the roof, Scinski said an assessment had been completed and most of it was rated at fair condition, except for the section above the gymnasium.

That section is in “poor” condition, which means that a new roof membrane is needed or at the very least it needs to be repaired. He stressed it doesn’t mean the roof is about to collapse.

“I have to admit that a lot of our roofs could be rated, as they say, in ‘poor’ condition. That doesn’t mean they’re about to fail, but you have to rate them somehow,” he said.

The report also detailed the answers to several other questions about whether Jarvie’s electrical system could host a commercial kitchen, whether the portable classroom could be moved and whether the urinals in the boys’ washroom were connected to the sewer line. The answers were all in the affirmative.

After a former principal raised concerns about a fuel tank on the property, Scinski said it had been determined that it was actually an empty water tank, which has been filled in.

Tyreman also indicated a desire to inspect the roof more closely and see if there were other options for Jarvie’s repair, as well as to go out with residents and answer any more questions they have about the school’s physical condition or electrical systems.

Finally, regarding the status of the Pembina North Community School, Tyreman said he had recently had a site meeting with the architect and they’re focusing efforts on installing four modular classrooms for the start of the school year.

He noted that they don’t anticipate having the links between the school and the modulars completed in time for Sept. 2.

However, the building’s new sidewalks will be done, and for the first couple week, students will access modular classrooms from the outside.

“We don’t want construction folks and children mixing together,” he added.

Otherwise, construction crews are putting in long hours and working on weekends to get the job done, Tyreman said, adding, “It’s going very well.”

It should be noted that Westlock Libraries houses public collections in the two school libraries, and has been allowed to stay in the buildings until Dec. 31, 2014.


Kevin Berger

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