$17.4M announced for schools' mould repairs

A $17.4-million plan to deal with water infiltration problems at more than a dozen P.E.I. schools was announced Tuesday.

Education Minister Doug Currie said province-wide inspections showed mould and moisture problems at 15 schools — three of which have serious problems and require a combined $13.8 million in replacement or repair costs.

Currie ordered inspections of all Island schools after mould was discovered at Elm Street Elementary School in Summerside last year. That school was closed while repairs were made and since then, Spring Park Elementary School and Morell Consolidated School have been closed for repairs.

The most significant change is for Spring Park Elementary School in Charlottetown, one of several schools beset by mould issues. The building, which will be replaced at a cost of $11.5 million, will be complete in early 2013.

There will be an additional $1.5 million worth of renovations to Morell Consolidated School in Morell. That work is expected to be completed by October.

"I understand the disruption that has taken place at both schools — and the solutions will take some time," Currie said in a statement.

"In the case of Spring Park, the building is simply beyond repair. A mere renovation would represent nothing more than a Band-Aid solution."

Bluefield High School in Hampshire will go through $800,000 in repairs, to be done by early 2012.

Currie said 12 other schools require relative minor repairs at a total cost of $3.6 million. Those schools are:

• Central Queens Elementary School – Hunter River
• Colonel Gray Senior High School – Charlottetown
• East Wiltshire Intermediate School – Cornwall
• École Évangéline – Wellington
• Eliot River Elementary School – Cornwall
• Englewood School – Crapaud
• Kensington Intermediate Senior High School – Kensington
• Mount Stewart Consolidated School – Mount Stewart
• Parkside Elementary School – Summerside
• Queen Charlotte Intermediate School – Charlottetown
• Sherwood Elementary School – Charlottetown
• Stonepark Intermediate School – Charlottetown

The education minister said the work on the 12 schools will be complete by the fall. Currie said current commitments to school capital projects will not be affected.