School District 46 is demolishing an entire wall of Pender Harbour Secondary School after discovering it was riddled with mould.
The wall above the swimming pool, facing the playing fields, is being torn apart and replaced. That means the school's gym, changing rooms and the art room on the mezzanine above the gym are all closed until at least the end of October. The Pender Harbour Aquatic and Fitness Centre, which is located in the school, will also be closed until the problem is fixed.
Superintendent Stewart Hercus said the problem was discovered while the school was getting a seismic upgrade over the summer."It looks like the venting of the pool downstairs was the problem," said Hercus. "Water condensed on one of the outside walls, and mould grows where there's water."
Hercus said it is not yet clear how much the repairs will cost. The initial estimate was $35,000, he said, but it could go much higher.
"The whole side is going to be taken out, section by section," said Hercus. "If we have to replace the vent system, the costs will go up from $100,000."
The wall is steel stud and brick construction. Hercus said the mould invasion is five to 15 feet high along the entire length of the wall, which is more than 100 feet long. He said structural engineers, an environmental laboratory and a ventilation crew have all been hired to evaluate the problem and ensure it is fixed properly.
Hercus said school will not be disrupted and principal John Clements has worked out a plan for running the school while renovations continue.
"They'll still have art classes, but in a different room," said Hercus.Hercus plans to pay for the repairs out of the school district's annual capital fund, which will mean other planned school upgrades in the district must be postponed.
"We've asked the province for emergency funds, and they tell us that's what annual capital is for," said Hercus. "It's one of those unfortunate things."
The Pender pool was built more than 25 years ago. The school needed a water reservoir for firefighting, and the Sunshine Coast Regional district joined forces with the school board to build a pool in the school's basement, paid for by the citizens of Pender Harbour. The pool is operated by the SCRD.
Hercus said he has not talked with the regional district about the possibility of sharing the repair costs.
