EBHS modernization project hits snag

By Justin Seward
Prairie Rose School Division (PRSD) held their first board meeting of the year on Sept. 12 and an agenda item that gained discussion was the update on Eagle Butte High School’s modernization.
The approval for the facelift of the exterior of the 22 year old school was done in September 2015 at a cost of $6.3 million that was allocated for the modernization.
It was there after where the school division and the high school’s staff held consultations with architects for the project to determine a design that works for everybody.
The outside will involve grading of the berms around the property, while there needs to be mechanical work done to the exterior of the roof and windows around the school. If there is any money then work will be done to the interior of the building.
“The design’s done,” said PRSD secretary treasurer Ryan Boser.
“The design has been to Alberta Infrastructure and Education for their review at the 60 per cent stage.”
He added at the 60 per cent stage the lay out becomes clearer with the design development and now it will be a matter of getting the modernization to tender and getting a contractor to start construction .
However, during the value scoping there was a deficiency identified with the septic field because the work will require more than a tank replacement as the pipes will have to be changed out to the septic field.
“The scope came quite a bit larger than when everything was tested then we originally anticipated in that both us as a school board and Alberta Education expected it to be,” said Boser.
The price tag of $1 million was far fetched from the original cost of $35,000 that PRSD envisioned for the upgrade and had caused a bugetary issue.
“Our thinking is as long as there is no code issues, this is something that we would try or ask permission to take out of the project to deal with at a later time,” said Boser.
“Our field is not currently failing right now. It’s just last year we had some issues with some water reaching the surface but it was during a pretty rainy time as well.”
If it were removed from the project right now, it would allow for PRSD to move the current project to tender immediately and get approval from Alberta Education to exceed the 60 per cent design completion phase before moving on to a 90 per cent or the pre-tender stage.
PRSD has a projected date of September 2018 for the modernization’s completion.