D.A. Ferguson move-in delayed for now

By Cole Parkinson
Taber Times
cparkinson@tabertimes.com

While hopes were to see students back in D.A. Ferguson after the long weekend, things didn’t go quite as planned.

School administration and Horizon School Division had originally planned to extend the long weekend by two days with students returning to the school on May 23rd with those two extra days being used to transfer things back into the school.

Due to requirements not being met, the move-in has been further delayed.

“We had hoped we would have had it handed over to us with the completion of phase one at D.A. Ferguson and they would be able to move in after the long weekend in May. Staff were actually prepared to do that but they were not able to because there were a lot of things that didn’t pass inspection. So there is still a lot of things that have to be done. Therefore, they do not get to move in,” said Bruce Francis, vice-chair at the Horizon school board’s regular meeting held on May 22. “It was contingent on the completion of the main project and it wasn’t complete. Whether it be mechanical, electrical or fire alarms.”

“I don’t know if it was because they didn’t fully pass inspection but part of the issue was coordination for the inspection couldn’t meet the timeline,” added Wilco Tymensen, superintendent of schools.

With these delays, it was decided fairly early that the move would make more sense in the early summer days when students where on their leave.

Coming back in early September, the students will be able to see the results of phase one at W.R. Myers and D.A. Ferguson.

“That just means the students and staff stay right in place and they will be ready to go for next year. That kind of makes sense because even though it is supposed to be done the first week of June, there is no point at that point. Best to just keep the students right where they are,” explained Francis.

While the move-in was delayed, work has still seen completion at the schools.

“The fire lane is complete and they are going to hook up that new water line on 54th Street,” said Francis. “Once they get phase one completed, they are able to start phase two which is the two-story, ’67 wing.”

After next month’s board meeting on June 26, there are plans for the board to tour the modernized facilities.

“From what I can see, once they are done it will be nice. We always have to remember this is a partial modernization, this was not a complete modernization. It would have been even more partial if not for all the money we poured into it in addition,” said Francis.