FORT FRANCES — The Northwest Catholic District School Board has received occupancy for their new addition intended to provide more space for students at St. Mary’s School west of Fort Frances.
At the board meeting on Feb. 20, Laura Mills, superintendent of business and treasurer for the board, provided a brief update on the rapid build construction in partnership with Infrastructure Ontario and the ministry.
The move back into St. Mary’s School will be held while students are on break next month.
“We are just in the process of clearing off some deficiencies — some of the contractors are back and clearing those up,” Mills said. “Planning is already in stage for the move back into St. Mary's School from St. Francis. We are looking at the logistics of all that and when the best time to do that is, so we will be working over the March Break to move everyone back into the new addition as well as St Mary's School.”
The board will look at hosting a media event to announce that they have settled into the new space after March Break.
Compared to photos from last October when construction was still underway, Mills presented updated photos that showed completed washrooms, a standard-sized classroom, hallways, and roofing.
“It is quite a beautiful addition,” Mills said.
Trustee Cathy Bowen asked whether the decrease in the number of students at the school will have any effect on the new classroom use. Mills replied that when the students return to the facility, they will have classes entirely in St. Mary’s School, not the new additions.
“I think they're still trying to set them up as more of a resource room and other purposes. So there will not be regular classrooms out there; all classrooms will be accommodated within the physical structure of the building,” Mills said.
The board will wait until Spring to complete site work, such as fencing and landscaping.
Once the move is complete, the board will provide feedback on the rapid build and construction process to the ministry, Mills said.
Fort Frances Times / Local Journalism Initiative
