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The Times Advocate, 2005-05-25, Page 1818 Exeter Times -Advocate Wednesday,May 25, 2005 Easter Seals wins with McHappy day sales McDonald's Exeter joined more than 1300 restaurants across Canada for McHappy Day May 18. The annual fundraiser supports local children's charities. This year $5,600 was raised for Easter Seals Camp Woodeden. Udora Peters (left), Mary Keenan and Ruthann O'Connell keep up the pace during the noonhour rush at the drive-thru window. At right, Const. Juanita Draper of the Exeter OPP collects a donation from George Ashby. (photos/Stephanie Mandziuk) Major roof project for SHDHS By Stew Slater SPECIAL TO THE TIMES -ADVOCATE SEAFORTH — The Avon Maitland District School Board began to spend its $1 1 million share of the provincial government's recently -announced "Good Places to Learn" initiative, with the approval of five pro- jects at a regular meeting April 26. "A window of opportunity for infrastructure improve- ment has now been created," stated an update about Good Places to Learn, provided for the meeting by busi- ness superintendent Janet Baird -Jackson. "(Under) Stage 1, we can use the $1.145 million in funds to finance approximately $15.737 million worth of work in our schools." At the meeting, tendered contracts were approved for the replacement of air handling units at elementary schools in Brussels and Belgrave, and of boilers in Clinton Public School and F.E. Madill Secondary School in Wingham. And the most costly of the five was the planned re -roofing of about half of South Huron District High School in Exeter, at an expected price of $570,000. According to Baird -Jackson, more tendering processes were expected to conclude in the days after the meet- ing, including a major roofing project at St. Marys DCVI. At South Huron, Exeter -based Smith Peat Roofing was the successful contractor out of five bids. Cliff's Plumbing and Heating submitted the low bids in both of the air handling unit projects — both of which will renew equipment serving the respective schools library and computer lab. At Brussels Public School, the projected cost is $48,283, while the work at East Wawanosh Public School is expected to cost $44,356. The same contractor was also successful in the F.E. Madill tendering process, submitting a bid of just over $242,000 for the replacement of the boiler. At Clinton Public School, meanwhile,Turner Plumbing and Heating submitted the low bid of just over $136,000. Not for the first time since the Good Places to Learn announcement was made in March, Baird -Jackson was again forced to address the possibility that the sudden rush of school upgrades could lead to an increase in prices for contractors and materials. Responding to a question from Central Huron trustee Shelley Kaastra, she admitted it's still a con- cern, but noted the Education Ministry has backed down from an original demand that all approved work be done as quickly as possible. Baird - Jackson also suggested the board has been quick off the mark in putting projects up for tender. "We expected to see higher prices than we ended up seeing — I think, in part, because we were out to tender early," the business superintendent said. And, in the case of South Huron, a decision was made to conduct a portion of the work while students are still attending classes — ahead of the traditional summer rush. That came after a suggestion from architectural consultant Terry Marklevitz that a credit be requested from the competing contractors, if the work above the school's technical education wing could be carried out early. "The principal of the school was willing to enter- tain the idea, in part because it's largely over the tech area, which is already noisy and can have some odours," Baird -Jackson explained. South Huron trustee Randy Wagler wondered about the potential health effects of the roofing fumes, but Baird -Jackson reported Smith Peat Roofing has recently completed similar pro- jects at nursing homes and hospitals — which had to be done while people occupied the build- ings — without any problems. "A saving of $25,000, which is not insignifi- cant, made us look at it quite closely," the busi- ness superintendent said, referring to the credit offered by the Exeter -based contractor in its suc- cessful bid. Also approved at the April 26 meeting was a contract for electrical upgrades at Mitchell District High School, to be funded through the regular Facilities Renewal Grant. Culliton Brothers submitted the low bid of $88,489. Repairs and upgrades for Catholic board By Stew Slater SPECIAL TO THE TIMES -ADVOCATE DUBLIN — Repairs and upgrades have been planned for 12 different properties within the Huron -Perth Catholic District School Board to capitalize on just over $1 million to be sent the board's direction by the Ontario government's recently -announced Good Places to Learn initiative. Estimated project costs range from over $192,000 in lighting upgrades and masonry repair at Stratford's St. Ambrose elementary school, to about $8,500 in exteri- or lighting at Our Lady of Mount Carmel elementary school. According to business superintendent Gerry Thuss, facilities officials based their decisions partly on archi- tectural assessments carried out by provincially -man- dated consultants, and partly on how they believed the subsequent provincial priorities should be applied locally. "Out of the high and urgent priorities from the Good Places to Learn (assessment), we focussed mainly on the sites where there were potential life safety issues," Thuss told trustees at a meeting April 25. This includes exterior lighting, emergency lighting and fire alarms. From there, facilities officials began looking at build- ings where the exterior integrity could become com- promised, primarily due to weathered or cracked brick work. "Over the last few years, we've gone a fair distance in terms of our roofing systems throughout the board," Thuss explained. "So we're really in pretty good shape that way." Good Places To Learn funding will be channelled to roofing work at two sites, however, with about $24,000 to be spent at St. Columban elementary school and over $18,000 at St. James elementary school in Seaforth. South Perth trustee Bernard Murray questioned the inclusion on the list of Stratford's 12 -year-old St. Michael Catholic Secondary School, which is slated to undergo a $20,000 "major study of loose brick on rooftop and throughout building exterior." "It sort of bothers one to think that we've got schools that are a lot older that aren't having any work done," said Murray, the board chair. Thuss responded that it's unfortunate deterioration has occurred on a building of such vintage. But he sug- gested the Good Places To Learn initiative allows the board to address the problem when it arises, rather than put it off until it becomes more serious. "Under the old program, it probably would have wait- ed," the business superintendent said. "But it needs to be done." It's expected all 12 projects will be undertaken within the next year, with many expected to be completed over the summer. South Huron/Bluewater trustee Mike Miller expressed concern about the availability of both contractors and materials if all Ontario school boards attempt to meet their Good Places To Learn expecta- tions in the next few months. But Thuss responded, "we're confident we can get much of the work done this summer." The other big-ticket item on the list involves three separate projects at Holy Name of Mary elementary school in St. Marys. Totalling an estimated $175,450, these include: repair of an 1876 foundation wall, replacement of a rooftop air handling system and replacement of interior lighting. Sacred Heart elementary school in Wingham will undergo about $115,000 in work, including interior and exterior lighting, as well as repair of footings and foundations. Masonry repairs will dominate at St. Boniface elementary school in Zurich, with some light- ing upgrades increasing the total to about $88,000. The same holds true at St. Aloysius elementary school in Stratford, with the tally there reaching an estimated $112,000. Lighting, ventilation and fire alarm upgrades at St. Patrick's elementary school in Kinkora will cost about $87,000. And there will be about $60,000 in lighting work at St. Patrick's in Dublin. Suspended driver caught SOUT HURON — On May 12 an officer locate a bro- ken down vehicle on Airport Line in South Huron. A man was walking away from the vehicle and the officer approached the man. The officer discovered the man had been prohibited from driving for the last six years because of previous criminal convictions. The vehicle had no insurance and the plates on the vehicle were not the right ones. A 44 -year-old Bluewater man has been charged with driving while disqualified and driving while suspended. He is also charged with driving a vehicle without insurance and with unauthorized plates.