Years of inadequate and derelict facilities and high maintenance bills are about to come to an end for teachers and staff of The Lodge School.
If things go according to plan, construction of two new blocks, a hall, pavilion, new bathrooms, additional exits and other refurbishments to the facility will get underway at the St John compound in April as part of a $25 million project.
Principal Trevor Pilgrim told the SATURDAY SUN it was a long time in coming, and highly anticipated.
"We're extremely happy that we're finally going to have some improvement in the physical plant of the school.
"We have been operating for many years with severe challenges.
"The school has done well despite the challenges, but of course we anticipate that with better plant, better facilities, better equipment, we would be in a position to do even better... One of the main areas of relief would be the absence of overcrowding," Pilgrim disclosed.
He said there were a number of health and safety concerns at the school, which celebrates its 264th anniversary this year. He said windows sometimes fell out, several of the buildings were mouldy and "compromised" the health of occupants, and there were several cracks and vegetation in the buildings.
Pilgrim said the current population had outgrown the physical plant, which was not built to accommodate a roll of 1 004.
The school is in the process of acquiring additional land from Codrington Trust for the construction of the new hall.
"The assembly hall is totally inadequate, it cannot accommodate the school roll, so we have our assemblies in the open.
"If it rains we have to cancel assembly or postpone it, and if it's too hot the students also have problems. If there is any function we have, we have to rent tents and so on," Pilgrim stated, adding that classrooms and staff accommodations were inadequate as well.
The Memorial Hall will be kept for historical purposes. Pilgrim noted that it was constructed in the memory of former students who died in the two world wars.
He said a lot of money had been spent on maintenance over the years. Last year alone the figure for building maintenance was $200 000.
Block I, which houses the music room, bathrooms and other facilities will be demolished and replaced by a two storey block.
The "cramped" Block J for sixth formers will be demolished as well, making room for another two-storey structure.
Construction will be done in phases, and Pilgrim said he expected minimal dislocation during the process.
Prefabricated buildings will be erected to move students from the areas being worked on.
Adjustment of the school hours, and a traffic diversion from the road leading to the compound, are among considerations for when the project gets underway. (YB)
Source: www.nationnews.com
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