Students at Ecole Percy Pegler School in Okotoks may be all under the same roof by the end of April as the $4.4 million remodernization of the Kindergarten to Grade 6 school is expected to finally be complete.
Grades 4 to 6 students at Percy Pegler School have been using one of two Okotoks Junior High School (OJHS) gymnasiums for classrooms since September of 2009 while the renovations were being completed. The remainder of the students have been using portables connected to Percy Pegler School or classrooms within OJHS.
Drew Chipman, Foothills School Division assistant superintendent corporate services, told school trustees at their March 16 meeting a public announcement as to when the students can move back into the school will be made soon.
“We are hopeful we can nail down an official opening time and announce it sometime next week,” Chipman said in an interview on March 16.
The work at Percy Pegler School was expected to be done by last September. However, difficulties with the original contractor, Bayview Constructors, resulted in a lengthy delay in the opening.
Chipman said the school division will be checking to see if lighting, electrical and other necessities are up to code before applying for an occupancy permit.
“Qualifying for an occupancy permit is just another step before we can an actually occupy the building,” he said.
Percy Pegler principal David Roberts said he is cautiously optimistic the students will be back from OJHS sometime in April.
“Until we are in, we will just continue as we have been,” Roberts said. He added because of the number of delays, he isn’t going to take anything for granted until the doors are officially open and the students are behind their desks at Percy Pegler School.
Roberts showed optimism last week in having Grade 6 students who are currently taking classes at the OJHS gym take a peek through windows at their proposed classrooms at Percy Pegler.
Laurie Copland, Okotoks trustee for the school division, said she has her fingers crossed for the school to be ready by the Easter break.
She credits the students and their parents for being patient during the delays.
“So far, I haven’t received one complaint,” she said.
The Foothills School Division found Bayview Constructors in default of their contract in December of 2010. As a result, the bonding company, Axa Pacific, took over the contract. Ledcor Construction has been on site at Percy Pegler since January completing the project.
