Two decaying schools gain new life – By Richard Rolke

Vernon Secondary School has provided students with a strong educational foundation for decades, even as it’s been crumbling around them.

That’s why $55 million for a new VSS and Coldstream Elementary is being embraced by teachers and parents, but particularly the children.

“It’s one big celebration,” said Alysa Ready, a Grade 9 student, who insists the current VSS is falling apart.

“You walk into the bathroom and parts of the wall fall off.”

As she is currently in Grade 12, Miranda Staniewicz, won’t benefit from the new school but she is thrilled for future students.

“It will be great to have windows and natural light instead of just the cracks through the bricks,” she said.

Sentiments are similar at Coldstream Elementary.

“It’s been added on to 10 times. The building is just incredibly old,” said Judi Haines, principal.

And the new structure will mean all of the students will be under one roof instead of some being in portables.

“If you’re in a portable, you have to walk outside and get cold in the winter,” said Kailey Marcinowski, in Grade 3.

VSS, which was built in 1968, will be replaced at a cost of $42 million, while Coldstream Elementary, which parts of date back to 1908, will be replaced at a cost of $13.4 million.

It’s anticipated construction at Coldstream will begin this June and run until September 2010, while the timeline for VSS is to begin work in March 2010 and be completed by about September 2011.

But VSS principal Morris Vardabasso jumped the gun by putting on a hard hat during Friday’s official announcement.

“You can call me a little over-zealous. I have my shovels out back,” he said.

Planning for both schools has been underway for years, and modern building codes are coming into force, including an elevator at Coldstream.

“People in wheelchairs won’t have to go up ramps,” said Maja Splawinski, in Grade 3.

Haines is looking forward to an open layout.

“You will walk into the building and look through the glass window over the top of the library and out into the woods in the back,” she said.

Both schools will be rebuilt on their present sites and the existing buildings will continue to be used by students during construction.

“There are safety issues for sure but we will separate them. They will lose some playing fields and flexibility,” said Bob McDonnell, with MQN Architects.

Vardabasso says he and his colleagues are already looking at ways to ensure construction doesn’t disrupt student activities too much at VSS.

“There will be some transitional issues. We may have to bus students to other fields but it’s a small price to pay for what we will be getting,” he said.

VSS currently has 1,025 students and the new school will accommodate 950, while Coldstream has 386 students and the new building will fit 375, plus 40 kindergarten students.

Taking part in Friday’s announcement was MLA Tom Christensen, who graduated from VSS 25 years ago.

Based on his own personal experiences, he is pleased that a new school is being developed.

“The structure hasn’t changed much. The challenges with cracks in the wall and aging were visible then,” he said.

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