It could cost $5 million or more to repair A.B. Greenwell School

[Guest guest]

It could cost $5 million or more to repair A.B. Greenwell School

Lake Cowichan Gazette - Lake Cowichan,BC,Canada*

May 13, 2008

By

http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_central/lakecowichangazet

te/news/18878124.html

Lawson, left, chair of the A.B. Greenwell Parents' Advisory

Committee talks to parent Duclos Howes, centre, of Youbou at

an evening meeting just after A.B. Greenwell School was closed.

File Photo

It would cost more than $5 million to repair A.B. Greenwell, just 25

per cent less than it would take to build a new school.

Yet, the architectural team that examined the Lake Cowichan

elementary school said fixing the school could be School District

79's best option.

" By reusing the base of the building, we could not only do what's

right in terms of sustainability, we could probably look at four to

five months in reduced construction times, " said Rod Windjack, of

CEI Architecture, which was hired to produce an A.B. Greenwell

condition report.

" Time is money. "

An architectural team was called to examine the school after nearly

three times the acceptable level of mould was discovered there in

February.

That finding prompted the school district to shut the school until

its condition was deemed appropriate for learning.

A leaky pipe was identified as the possible cause of mould growth in

the small school; architects determined that pipe was likely

dripping for many moons.

" I think the problem has been chronic for quite a long time, "

Windjack told the board during a meeting last Wednesday.

" A slow leak means a lot of water but it doesn't necessarily mean it

would affect the service level. "

Numerous other problems were also discovered at the school.

Moisture build up within walls was at an unacceptable level, for

example, and the building envelope was lacking in many areas. Walls

also need to be rebuilt.

" We took all those aspects and had the cost consultant come up with

a number, " Winjack said. " That number came up at approximately $5.2

million for refurbishment. "

Using the expenses of the new Crofton Elementary as a cost line, a

consultant determined rebuilding A.B.Greenwell School from scratch

would be a nearly $7 million endeavour.

Winjack said provincial Ministry of Education would be more prone to

approve the cheaper option.

" At the end of the day, you could have a very good facility in terms

of its layout, " Winjack told the board. " In our opinion,

refurbishment would make a lot of sense. "

[Guest guest]

KC - Thanks for posting this and kudos on the A + E piece...

1. French schools would likely tear the building down.

2. 5 million? How much does cancer cost?

What are the lives of those kids and teachers worth?

3. How long does it take to recover from building illness?

Years, or maybe never.

2008©

>

> It could cost $5 million or more to repair A.B. Greenwell School

> Lake Cowichan Gazette - Lake Cowichan,BC,Canada*

> May 13, 2008

> By

>

> http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_central/lakecowichangazet

> te/news/18878124.html

>

> Lawson, left, chair of the A.B. Greenwell Parents' Advisory

> Committee talks to parent Duclos Howes, centre, of Youbou at

> an evening meeting just after A.B. Greenwell School was closed.

> File Photo

> It would cost more than $5 million to repair A.B. Greenwell, just 25

> per cent less than it would take to build a new school.

>

> Yet, the architectural team that examined the Lake Cowichan

> elementary school said fixing the school could be School District

> 79's best option.

>

> " By reusing the base of the building, we could not only do what's

> right in terms of sustainability, we could probably look at four to

> five months in reduced construction times, " said Rod Windjack, of

> CEI Architecture, which was hired to produce an A.B. Greenwell

> condition report.

>

> " Time is money. "

>

> An architectural team was called to examine the school after nearly

> three times the acceptable level of mould was discovered there in

> February.

>

> That finding prompted the school district to shut the school until

> its condition was deemed appropriate for learning.

>

> A leaky pipe was identified as the possible cause of mould growth in

> the small school; architects determined that pipe was likely

> dripping for many moons.

>

> " I think the problem has been chronic for quite a long time, "

> Windjack told the board during a meeting last Wednesday.

>

> " A slow leak means a lot of water but it doesn't necessarily mean it

> would affect the service level. "

>

> Numerous other problems were also discovered at the school.

>

> Moisture build up within walls was at an unacceptable level, for

> example, and the building envelope was lacking in many areas. Walls

> also need to be rebuilt.

>

> " We took all those aspects and had the cost consultant come up with

> a number, " Winjack said. " That number came up at approximately $5.2

> million for refurbishment. "

>

> Using the expenses of the new Crofton Elementary as a cost line, a

> consultant determined rebuilding A.B.Greenwell School from scratch

> would be a nearly $7 million endeavour.

>

> Winjack said provincial Ministry of Education would be more prone to

> approve the cheaper option.

>

> " At the end of the day, you could have a very good facility in terms

> of its layout, " Winjack told the board. " In our opinion,

> refurbishment would make a lot of sense. "

>