Green Valley School addition put on hold
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Grunthal’s Green Valley School has had its gym and classroom addition deferred by the province.
The news was announced during the first school board meeting of the year for the Hanover School Division, Aug. 28.
“It’s obviously very devastating at the moment. We are hopeful that they will reconsider this project in the near future. We’re waiting for a response (to our letter) from the province and as soon as we get that we’re still hopeful,” said superintendent Joe Thiessen.
There’s no date set by the province for revisiting the project, but the government is asking the school division to submit costs for paperwork and permits related to the venture for reimbursement. The division said that totaled $650,000.
“We’re not the only division this has happened to,” said secretary-treasurer Kevin Heide. “The majority of projects in the province have been put on hold…for additions or renovations.”
In preparation for the $12 million construction project, three portable classrooms at the south end of the school were removed, as was a play structure.
“That school has been without three classroom spaces for two years,” said Heide, noting the expansion should have been done this month.
Heide said the province will not pay for new portables which will cost $900,000 replace. Thiessen said the school will not be able to get new portables and that the school division is hopeful that the project will still go ahead in the near future.
“When it comes to this project that has been now deferred the small rural school who was finally able to hire new teachers now has to look for a place to put these teachers,” said Cheryl Froese, trustee for Grunthal.
“How can teachers provide quality education for students when they don’t have physical space to do so?” she added.
Froese also noted the current gymnasium is so small that GVS can’t host tournaments and concerts are crammed.
Thiessen said that the last year or two the school has been struggling with space and that the principal has been creative in use of the space that she has for the three classrooms.