FREDERICTON – After frigid temperatures caused a pipe to burst over winter break, staff at Devon Middle School have spent the last two weeks cleaning up the school and making it safe for students.
But while it’s open again, there’s still a lot of work that’s left to be done.
In the gym, students can only play on half the court. The other half still has some wavy, bumpy flooring. A new ceiling was put in the main hall, and the school office needs to be dried out and cleaned before staff can move back in.
Principal Gary Gallant said it’s just going to take a little more time.
“Hopefully by the end of the week the gym will be functional and back to where we need it to be. The library we’re probably looking three to four weeks before we have everything in place,” he said.
It’s the library that’s going to be the most work. The school is doing a full renovation, and it’s no small job.
“The flooring will be taken up and a new floor laid,” he said. “Obviously the ceiling sprinkler pipes will be done later on. The ceiling has to be finished. And then of course its crack filling and painting in here, new ventilator. We have a floor to ceiling ventilator coming in. And then we have to fit the bookshelves and bring the books in.”
It’s the loss of the books that’s bringing parents in to help with the cause. The library lost 95 per cent of all its books due to the water damage.
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So the school is taking donations of books and cash, and a parents group has started an online fundraiser.
So far, it’s been successful, said organizer Sandi MacKinnon. But they need a little more before they hit their $10,000 goal.
“We hit the $6,000 mark this morning, so that’s fantastic. And we received some great support from people, from an alumni who lives in L.A., from people in Mexico, we got businesses involved,” said MacKinnon.
Staff don’t know yet how much this damage will cost the school, but it will be expensive. That’s why MacKinnon is so grateful to the community.
“Devon is beloved. That school rocks. People around that community, I just love being part of that school, and the faculty and the teachers – it is one amazing place,” she said.
To donate, visit http://www.gofundme.com/devonmiddlelibrary
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