Monday, February 8, 2010

School Plans Unveiled in Walkerton

There is audio for this story. click to open MP3 version  or click the play button to listen now.

Walkerton
by Diana Meder    

The process of building a brand new consolidated school in Walkerton is about to get underway.

Preliminary designs have been drawn up based on community and staff input since last June. 

Bluewater District School Board Plant Services Manager Al Gibb says the now 21 million dollar project will replace three existing schools including Brant Township Central and Walkerton Public School.

The Kindergarten to Grade 12 school will be built on the existing site of Walkerton District Secondary and bring 950 students together.

Gibb says they'll start moving some of the students out of the rear of the school just after March break to make way for the start of the demolition. 

Construction is expected to begin in June with a completion date set for April of 2012.

The new massive school will include a triple gym, cafetorium, student commons, two dozen classrooms, four Kindergartens, two special ed rooms, and four technology rooms.

It will also feature a number of green initiatives including high efficiency lighting and heating as well as 'water harvesting' technology -- where they'll take rain water, put it into a cistern and use it to irrigate the playing fields.