Lodge School In Line For Major Upgrade

Lodge School Old Scholars' Association 2010 scholarship awardees; Charles Cole, Lizza Grazette-Corbin, Ashlee Lowe & Franco Alleyne-Moore.

        

The much-anticipated physical redevelopment of the Lodge School will commence in a matter of days, but an expanded school plant should not lead to an increased school roll.

So says principal of the Lodge School, Trevor Pilgrim, who was speaking the school’s Speech Day and Prize-Giving Ceremony held yesterday at the Massiah Street, St. John compound.

Pilgrim said that the school is currently overcrowded at a roll of 1 067 and implored the authorities not to increase the school’s roll even more when the physical redevelopment is finished.

“We will have more space but that would just defeat the purpose of the improvement of the facility. We need a smaller number of students to function at optimum academic levels,” he explained.

Speaking about the redevelopment plans, he said, “The former principal’s residence will be the first building to be demolished. This will happen within a matter of days and phase one of the construction process will commence. Phase one will include the construction of two new blocks with two floors each, the demolition of the lower wing that ends at the music room and work on the memorial hall and Block G,” said Pilgrim.

“As soon as phase one ends we will occupy the new building. We would therefore no longer need the prefabricated wooden units which have sprung up on the lawn,” he continued.

The principal explained that the entire physical redevelopment would be done in four stages and will end in 2013.

According to him, it will encompass the whole school, but it will be sequenced in such a way that disruption to the school will be minimised.

“We will also receive a new hall, with a capacity of approximately 1 000 and a new and larger pavilion. In 2013 when construction ends, the Lodge School will enter a new era in its long and illustrious existence, spacious, comfortable, well equipped and driven by highly motivated staff and students. It will be better positioned to achieve its mission,” he said.

“No longer will we have to hold assemblies and ceremonies like this one in the open air and rent tents. The new hall will also be a God-send to the St. John community since it will be large enough to accommodate conferences and community events,” he continued.

Pilgrim noted that in the next three years the school body will have to cope with the noise, dust and industrial challenges which will be created by this large construction process.

“I urge our staff, students and parents to be patient and to understand that some measure of discomfort always accompanies change and progress. We will do our best along with Innotech, the contractors, to reduce as much as possible any discomfort or threat to health and safety that arises from the construction process.”

Source: www.barbadosadvocate.com