The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board’s entire high school revitalization strategy is being put on hold until trustees get a better handle on the asbestos that stalled plans to build new science labs at Sherwood over the summer.
Board chair Todd White pushed for the moratorium on all upgrades other than those already underway after staff estimated renovating Sherwood will cost at least $36 million – including up to $5 million for asbestos removal.
Rebuilding the east Mountain school, opened in 1967, is meanwhile pegged at $41 million, with up to $7 million of the bill for demolition and asbestos removal.
An outside consultant has been hired to do a more detailed assessment, including on where it’s not possible to do renovations while the school is occupied, for a report to be presented to trustees in January.
The board has already spent $2.8 million on Sherwood upgrades, including ones contracted or underway to build a new washroom by the gyms and replace all doors, windows and the Gym C floor.
The moratorium on new high-school renovation projects also applies to a separate strategy to upgrade playing fields.
White said the pause is necessary because Sherwood and Ancaster High were the first of eight older high schools identified for major improvements following last term’s decision to close seven others and build two new ones.
He said the board has $27 million for the work – money earmarked for the new Henderson on the south Mountain before the province agreed to fund it – but can also draw on $20 million in annual renewal grants it gets for all 108 schools.
Other high schools in the upgrade queue include MacNab, Westmount, Orchard Park, Glendale, Churchill and Westdale.
“We said we want to do this to all of our schools, but we didn’t actually look at the schools and the feasibility studies to actually figure out the real costs,” White told members of the finance and facilities committee.
“I don’t think it’s any secret – it’s been quite apparent for the past couple of years – that Sherwood is in the worst condition of those eight, but I wouldn’t say that the other ones are necessarily that far off.”
A staff report outlines four options at Sherwood: renovate in stages or all at once at cost of at least $36 million, or rebuild on the building’s existing footprint or neighbouring playing fields for $41 million if the province provides funding.
The estimates are apart from any costs for moving students off site or into portables on the school’s property during the work.
Central Mountain trustee Dawn Danko said she’s “not keen” on rebuilding Sherwood or doing all renovations at once, suggesting another option is to just upgrade the science labs and temporarily move students to Hill Park, closed since June 2014.
“We do the work that we promised to do in each of the schools. I don’t believe that we need to do everything,” she said. “I think we do need to look at being realistic.”
Trustee Kathy Archer, who represents Sherwood, said she wants to see the more detailed assessment in January before making any decisions.
“I think it’s best to wait and see what is in that report and then we can go from there and ask more questions and get the answers,” she said.
According to figures previously provided to Hamilton Community News, the board has spent $4.9 million upgrading Ancaster High.
Aside from new science labs, the work included major roof repairs, two new barrier-free washrooms, retrofitting four classrooms and renovations to existing washrooms and the library/learning commons.
Asked why the board didn’t encounter similar asbestos problems there, senior facilities officer David Anderson said staff and an outside consultant found Sherwood’s abatement challenges more complex.
“Every building is a little bit different,” he said.
The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board’s entire high school revitalization strategy is being put on hold until trustees get a better handle on the asbestos that stalled plans to build new science labs at Sherwood over the summer.
Board chair Todd White pushed for the moratorium on all upgrades other than those already underway after staff estimated renovating Sherwood will cost at least $36 million – including up to $5 million for asbestos removal.
Rebuilding the east Mountain school, opened in 1967, is meanwhile pegged at $41 million, with up to $7 million of the bill for demolition and asbestos removal.
An outside consultant has been hired to do a more detailed assessment, including on where it’s not possible to do renovations while the school is occupied, for a report to be presented to trustees in January.
The board has already spent $2.8 million on Sherwood upgrades, including ones contracted or underway to build a new washroom by the gyms and replace all doors, windows and the Gym C floor.
The moratorium on new high-school renovation projects also applies to a separate strategy to upgrade playing fields.
White said the pause is necessary because Sherwood and Ancaster High were the first of eight older high schools identified for major improvements following last term’s decision to close seven others and build two new ones.
He said the board has $27 million for the work – money earmarked for the new Henderson on the south Mountain before the province agreed to fund it – but can also draw on $20 million in annual renewal grants it gets for all 108 schools.
Other high schools in the upgrade queue include MacNab, Westmount, Orchard Park, Glendale, Churchill and Westdale.
“We said we want to do this to all of our schools, but we didn’t actually look at the schools and the feasibility studies to actually figure out the real costs,” White told members of the finance and facilities committee.
“I don’t think it’s any secret – it’s been quite apparent for the past couple of years – that Sherwood is in the worst condition of those eight, but I wouldn’t say that the other ones are necessarily that far off.”
A staff report outlines four options at Sherwood: renovate in stages or all at once at cost of at least $36 million, or rebuild on the building’s existing footprint or neighbouring playing fields for $41 million if the province provides funding.
The estimates are apart from any costs for moving students off site or into portables on the school’s property during the work.
Central Mountain trustee Dawn Danko said she’s “not keen” on rebuilding Sherwood or doing all renovations at once, suggesting another option is to just upgrade the science labs and temporarily move students to Hill Park, closed since June 2014.
“We do the work that we promised to do in each of the schools. I don’t believe that we need to do everything,” she said. “I think we do need to look at being realistic.”
Trustee Kathy Archer, who represents Sherwood, said she wants to see the more detailed assessment in January before making any decisions.
“I think it’s best to wait and see what is in that report and then we can go from there and ask more questions and get the answers,” she said.
According to figures previously provided to Hamilton Community News, the board has spent $4.9 million upgrading Ancaster High.
Aside from new science labs, the work included major roof repairs, two new barrier-free washrooms, retrofitting four classrooms and renovations to existing washrooms and the library/learning commons.
Asked why the board didn’t encounter similar asbestos problems there, senior facilities officer David Anderson said staff and an outside consultant found Sherwood’s abatement challenges more complex.
“Every building is a little bit different,” he said.
The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board’s entire high school revitalization strategy is being put on hold until trustees get a better handle on the asbestos that stalled plans to build new science labs at Sherwood over the summer.
Board chair Todd White pushed for the moratorium on all upgrades other than those already underway after staff estimated renovating Sherwood will cost at least $36 million – including up to $5 million for asbestos removal.
Rebuilding the east Mountain school, opened in 1967, is meanwhile pegged at $41 million, with up to $7 million of the bill for demolition and asbestos removal.
An outside consultant has been hired to do a more detailed assessment, including on where it’s not possible to do renovations while the school is occupied, for a report to be presented to trustees in January.
The board has already spent $2.8 million on Sherwood upgrades, including ones contracted or underway to build a new washroom by the gyms and replace all doors, windows and the Gym C floor.
The moratorium on new high-school renovation projects also applies to a separate strategy to upgrade playing fields.
White said the pause is necessary because Sherwood and Ancaster High were the first of eight older high schools identified for major improvements following last term’s decision to close seven others and build two new ones.
He said the board has $27 million for the work – money earmarked for the new Henderson on the south Mountain before the province agreed to fund it – but can also draw on $20 million in annual renewal grants it gets for all 108 schools.
Other high schools in the upgrade queue include MacNab, Westmount, Orchard Park, Glendale, Churchill and Westdale.
“We said we want to do this to all of our schools, but we didn’t actually look at the schools and the feasibility studies to actually figure out the real costs,” White told members of the finance and facilities committee.
“I don’t think it’s any secret – it’s been quite apparent for the past couple of years – that Sherwood is in the worst condition of those eight, but I wouldn’t say that the other ones are necessarily that far off.”
A staff report outlines four options at Sherwood: renovate in stages or all at once at cost of at least $36 million, or rebuild on the building’s existing footprint or neighbouring playing fields for $41 million if the province provides funding.
The estimates are apart from any costs for moving students off site or into portables on the school’s property during the work.
Central Mountain trustee Dawn Danko said she’s “not keen” on rebuilding Sherwood or doing all renovations at once, suggesting another option is to just upgrade the science labs and temporarily move students to Hill Park, closed since June 2014.
“We do the work that we promised to do in each of the schools. I don’t believe that we need to do everything,” she said. “I think we do need to look at being realistic.”
Trustee Kathy Archer, who represents Sherwood, said she wants to see the more detailed assessment in January before making any decisions.
“I think it’s best to wait and see what is in that report and then we can go from there and ask more questions and get the answers,” she said.
According to figures previously provided to Hamilton Community News, the board has spent $4.9 million upgrading Ancaster High.
Aside from new science labs, the work included major roof repairs, two new barrier-free washrooms, retrofitting four classrooms and renovations to existing washrooms and the library/learning commons.
Asked why the board didn’t encounter similar asbestos problems there, senior facilities officer David Anderson said staff and an outside consultant found Sherwood’s abatement challenges more complex.
“Every building is a little bit different,” he said.