Sep 17, 2008 - 02:11 PM

DURHAM -- This summer's rain wasn't enough to stop $143 million in public school board construction from moving full-steam ahead.

Between new schools, additions, renovations and primary class requirements, the Durham District School Board has dozens of construction projects on the go.

"Are we on stream with where we should be, are we behind with some of the projects," asked Whitby Trustee John Dolstra, referring to the large amount of rain that fell this summer. "Where are we at with that?"

Although there were some excessively wet places, staff are comfortable the project completion dates will "hold true," said facilities superintendent David Visser.

The board received a quarterly construction progress report during its Sept. 15 meeting.

Pickering High School's 26-classroom addition was finished for the start of the school year. Areas still requiring completion include the cafeteria, kitchen, science labs, and garbage/receiving area. Some exterior work also needs to be done, such as two practice fields, trees, sod, and a final asphalt layer. The outstanding items should be finished by October.

"We'd like to thank Anne Taylor (Pickering High School's principal) and her staff for all of their hard work," Mr. Visser said.

"Anne and her team have done an amazing job," said Ajax Trustee Marilyn Crawford, chairwoman of the board.

In Pickering, Vaughan Willard Public School's addition and renovations, which followed a 2006 fire, is finished and minor deficiencies are being addressed.

At Altona Forest Public School, the four-classroom, one-storey addition to support the primary class size initiative should be done by January. Footings and foundations are finished, load bearing concrete block walls are up, as is the roof slab. Interior masonry, mechanical and electrical rough-ins are ongoing.

Westcreek Public School's addition of four primary classrooms, scheduled for a January completion, has its footings, foundations, and slab on grade all complete, while load bearing concrete block walls are in progress. Interior work is complete as is the extended asphalt playground area.

Ajax's unnamed Meadows of Ajax and Hamlet schools both have planned occupancy for September 2009. For the Meadows school, pre-construction soils site preparation is done and footings and foundations have begun. The Hamlet school's property purchase was finalized Aug. 28. The project is out for tender and soil testing and survey are occurring.

In north Oshawa, the unnamed secondary school's main two-storey structure is complete, the majority of its roof deck is installed, exterior brick is underway, and interior walls, mechanical and electrical work is ongoing. Occupancy is scheduled for September 2009.

The primary class-size addition at Harmony Heights in Oshawa features four classrooms and should be finished by January. The footings and foundations, exterior and interior load bearing concrete block walls, and roof slab are finished. Interior masonry, mechanical and electrical rough-ins are ongoing.

Stephen G. Saywell Public School's addition of four primary classes has its footings, foundations, interior load-bearing concrete block walls, and slab on grade is complete. It should be done by January 2009.

In Brooklin, the unnamed Olde Winchester and Tormina public schools have their footings and foundations complete, with exterior load bearing concrete block walls underway. Occupancy is planned for September 2009.

Winchester's eight-classroom, two-storey primary class size addition is scheduled for completion by March. Site services have been relocated and footings commenced.

Also in Whitby, Bellwood Public School's four classroom, one-storey addition to support the primary class size initiative is scheduled for completion by January. Footings and foundations, the slab on grade, exterior load bearing concrete walls are finished and interior work in the existing school is done.

At Fallingbrook, the four-classroom project has footings and foundations, exterior and interior load bearing concrete block walls, and roof slab are complete. Interior masonry, mechanical and electrical rough-ins are ongoing.

In Scugog, Cartwright Central Public School's primary class size addition includes six classrooms and renovations, which should be done by March. Most of the renovation work in the existing school is done and footings and foundations are underway.

McCaskill's Mills Public School's six-classroom, two-storey addition should also be done by March. The contractor has mobilized on site and footings and foundation are underway at the Brock school.

Work is also ongoing for projects slated for 2009 and 2010.