Binder Construction beat out seven other bidders to snag a $7.8-million contract for the modernization project of Innisfail schools that will further integrate public and Catholic school boards while invigorating an aging set of buildings.
Renovations are set to begin April 22 and are scheduled to wrap up Labour Day weekend 2014, said company president Duncan Binder.
“Modernization projects are something we enjoy working on,” he said. “They bring a building back to life.”
The building plan includes $1-million worth of work to introduce a new bus loop in the front of the school and $3 million for a three-station gymnasium in the existing courtyard by Innisfail Jr./Sr. High School.
Binder Construction has been involved in a number of school upgrade projects including the $8.1-million Racette Junior High modernization in St. Paul.
“I think our expertise comes in working with staff and students in the building, respecting their needs and their times,” Binder said. “They've got exams and they've got quiet times.”
Site work is broken down into six phases of construction to allow school operations to continue as normally as possible while each of the schools located in close proximity are connected to each other. The entire project cost is estimated at $9.1 million, which includes the cost of site designs from Workun Garrick Partnership Architecture And Interior Design Inc., administration and consultation costs.
The total modernization area is 5,000 square feet.
“There's no disruption to the student activities in the building,” he said.
St. Marguerite Bourgeoys School will expand further into École John Wilson Elementary School under the plan, while the surrounding community will have evening access to the new gym, since Red Deer County and the Town of Innisfail both contributed to the cost of construction.
The revitalization program will help create an atmosphere that's conducive to learning, according to the province.
“It brings the community and the students together in a sense,” said Tracy Larsen, a spokesperson for Alberta Infrastructure. “Overall this is a partnership where the school boards and the government are building the environment to meet the need of programs that are going to benefit students.”
