One of Coquitlam's fastest growing schools will get repairs to ensure watertightness and School District 43 is moving as fast as possible to get most of it done during the summer vacation.
Leigh elementary needs about $1.5 million in repair work on an addition built some time in the late 1980s or early '90s to ensure it is watertight, and though the work is preventative, it needs to be done quickly, said Ivano Cecchini, who is responsible for facilities and planning services for SD43.
"Absolutely, we have to get it done in summer," Cecchini said. "The higher the student population, the more difficult to be able to create swing space to be able accommodate the students."
The issue is the school, with 434 students, is already at capacity and has two portables, with two more planned for September. Finding room for more portables to move students out of classrooms when repair work is being done would be a challenge at that site, he said.
Building envelope work is also being done at another Coquitlam school this spring, Summit middle, but there it's easier to move portables on site and Cecchini said work will likely being after spring break.
Meanwhile, PoCo's Riverside secondary, will also be getting about $500,000 in building envelope repairs, part of a longer-term project, now nearing completion, after water penetration was discovered.
Cecchini confirmed that funds have been approved by the province for Summit, which is getting done first, while more study is required on the Riverside and Leigh projects to determine the scope of work.
