A much-needed new roof at Bayside Middle school will soon be a reality thanks to $6.1 million in provincial funding. The Saanich School District is also contributing $1 million to the $7.1 million project.
Education Minister Mike Bernier made the announcement this morning at Bayside Middle School, which has had a leaking roof since the Brentwood Bay school opened in 1992.
“I committed to parents, students, and the school district that we’d get a new roof on Bayside – and today government is delivering on that commitment. The scope and cost of this project is larger than we first thought because damage was greater than anyone expected. We’re fixing those problems today so Bayside lasts for years to come.”
The new roofing project will include new skylights and windows, new insulation and roof drains, as well as the removal and replacement of mechanical and electrical systems affected by the work.
The roof will remain for at least the remainder of the school year, and while the district says it’s a major inconvenience, there is no mold or health risk. The project is proposed to be completed in two phases:
Phase 1 will replace the roof over the gymnasium, centre core and north pod area. That work will begin this summer and finish up this winter, 2016, depending on weather.
Phase 2 will replace the roof over the east, south, and west pods and main entry area. This work is anticipated to begin in spring of 2017 and finish by summer, also depending on weather.
Bayside Middle school was constructed in 1992 and can accommodate 650 students in Grades 6-8.
CTV covered the story in February, when parents and staff at the school hit a boiling point over the school’s leaky roof. They say the Central Saanich school roof has been leaking for more than 20 years, and buckets and mops must come out every time it rains heavily.
