A fly-through video on YouTube shows a unique design for the new Westview Elementary School, complete with the words “every child shines” on one of the hallway walls, visible from both first and second floors.
Many workers building such walls are locals, said Yellowridge Construction Ltd. superintendent Brian Wess.
“We’ve got about 35 people right now and I’d say we’ve got about 14 locals,” he said. “From our company, Yellowridge, the drywall company, the steel stud company, steel erectors; all the roofing is local.”
A drive along Selkirk Avenue will reveal the construction site where the school is being built. The project is on schedule, said Wess, and deadline is for the end of November before equipment is moved in during December.
“That’s our goal. I hope we can make it.”
Wess said Yellowridge tries to use as many local workers as possible on projects. “It promotes economy for the local jurisdictions,” he said. “That’s our motto anyways. We try and help out the communities as much as we can.”
Steve Hopkins, secretary treasurer for School District 47, explained some of the construction progress. He said it is pretty close to schedule and workers are about to put up walls on the lower floor. Concrete has been poured on the second storey. The walking path will be paved once the weather improves, Hopkins said, as well as the sidewalks. Big dirt piles will be re-screened and distributed over three quarters of the field before the drainage will be put in.
Hopkins added that one-third of the workers on site are from Powell River. “The roofing contractor and his staff are from town, the concrete is all from town, the steel stud contractor has hired a number of apprentices from town. Yellowridge employs three people from town. A lot of these opportunities are short term but lots of local people are working.”
Carpenter Richard Danroth said it was a relief not to have to travel in order to work.
“[It’s a] normal job site,” he said. “It’s awesome being out here locally rather than having to travel all the time; more time with the kids.”
The fly-through video shows a spacious school with many windows and plenty of natural light. It is a bright, open design; aesthetically pleasing and simple.
The school yard will boast a soccer field and plenty of parking.
“We need a new school,” said Danroth. “We’ve needed one for a long time. Those other schools are getting kind of old. It’s going to be a nice school too. This type of work usually goes in a library or something. It’s definitely unique.”
Hopkins said the equipment at the old school will likely be left for the community and equipment will be purchased for the new school. He added that a grant opportunity has opened up too, around the use of recycled tires for outdoor surfaces. It is a matching grant and Hopkins will explore if the cost of using recycled tires is comparable with the original idea of gravel.
Construction of the school comes at a time when jobs aren’t too common in Powell River and people are taking work where they can. As Danroth said, some workers have to travel in order to maintain jobs. It means working locally is not only convenient, but it builds a economic contribution to the community.
Peter Lalande from Home Fast Iron Workers said he has been working on the school for eight months.
“It’s a great benefit because there’s not much work in Powell River right now so everyone is excited when the work does come to town,” he said. “A lot of the outfits that do come here to work, they’re more than willing to hire locals. Next month I’ll have been on this site for eight months working for two different outfits. I started out doing work for iron workers out of Kelowna. Actually, everyone on our crew was local and then after that, as soon as we finished I got hold of Darcy at Home Fast and they hired me on right away, within the week. The steel stud guys use a lot of local people too so it’s good.”
Lalande added that not many people know about the three-minute long video giving the viewer a three-dimensional virtual tour of what the school is designed to look like upon completion. He encourages anyone who hasn’t seen it to do so.
“It looks really great,” he said. “I really suggest anybody who hasn’t seen it go onto YouTube and type in Westview Elementary School and it should come up.”
