The territory has announced work on the new F.H. Collins Secondary School will restart in August.
This phase, from August until October, will “finalize site preparations before the F.H. Collins replacement project goes full steam ahead next spring,” Education Minister Scott Kent said in a press release Tuesday.
The work includes connecting water mains across Lewes Blvd., building a new bus loop at the rear of the school, modifying the main parking lot and constructing an access road to the lower soccer field, Highways and Public Works Minister Wade Istchenko said in the release. Drivers in Riverdale can expect traffic delays while the work is being done.
The $1.18-million contract has been awarded to Norcope Enterprises Ltd.
This announcement comes after a premature sod turning by the Yukon Party before last fall’s territorial election.
A campaign photo shoot was staged at F.H. Collins before the Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Board had decided on the project and belied the government’s own planning of the rebuild.
Premier Darrell Pasloski and then minister of education Patrick Rouble flashed smiles as they drove their shovel tips into the ground. The billboard behind them read “Opening August 2013.” That date has now been painted over. In December, Kent confirmed that designs for the new school weren’t even complete at that time.
When the plans were finished, in mid-October, they revealed an August 2013 opening was unrealistic.
Kent has since confirmed the government hopes classes will file into the new school by fall 2015.
The Yukon government will “begin preparing” a contract to tender for the actual construction of the building later this year, the release said.