Roof repairs begin at Mount Stewart Consolidated

Repairs to part of the roof at Mount Stewart Consolidated School began this week, with the section over the gym replaced.

Discussions about water damage to the school's gym began in the legislature last month, when opposition MLA Sidney MacEwenraised concerns about the safety of the floor.

The project to repair the school's roof was tendered earlier this year. And after MacEwenraised concerns about the gym floor, the province announced the floor would be fixed as well.

Work started early

Education Minister Jordan Brown said work on the roof had been planned for the summer, when students wouldn't be at the school. However, he said efforts tokeep it airtight until the summer were not successful.

"There was an effort made to patch the roof during the winter. The patch did not work," Brown said.

Officials from the Public Schools Branch saidthe good weather this week gave them a chance to get work started early.

"We had already awarded the tender, and the contractor was able to commence the work on the gym portion of the contract, and that was started this week in an attempt to get that portion of the work completed," said John Cummings, director of corporate services with the Public Schools Branch.

Cummings said the rest of the roof and the gym floor are set to be repaired before the start of the next school year.

Mount Stewart is one of seven Island schools that will have roof repairs or replacements this summer.

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