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School renovation will test patience, principal says
BY TYLER DIAMOND + CONTRIBUTING WRITER
 | | Construction on the front of the high school has forced the school to implement a two-way road system. The road will no longer be a one-way street and there is a chance of congestion during the school year. (Recorder photo by Tyler Diamond) |
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HOT SPRINGS - Construction is under way at Bath County High School. With more than $8.9 million earmarked for renovations, the final results are anticipated to be high-quality improvements.
CCC Construction of North Carolina is overseeing construction and managing several subcontractors, including Roofing and Restoration, which will undertake one of the most vital jobs - replacing the roof.
But headaches and obstacles are, as with any major construction, par for the course. And BCHS principal Pete Pitard is gearing up for the challenges ahead, long before school starts again in late August.
One of the biggest hurdles, he says, will be a reduced number of parking spaces. For students and staff, those spaces will be at a premium.
"We think we have enough parking spaces for seniors and juniors next year but we're going to have a lot of construction parking and a lot of trucks in that immediate area," Pitard says. "The road is now two-way, which is supposedly temporary. It's a major factor in travel."
Basic wear and tear on the facilities, Pitard says, have been addressed with standard maintanance, but at BCHS, some the upgrades are long overdue and one of the expected changes that comes with aging buildings.
"Basically the idea for renovations came about because nothing has been done to the high school in 30 years and it's showing the effects of not 30 years of neglect, but of 30 years of wear," Pitard says. "The biggest issue that we have is leaky roofs. We don't have air conditioning and that's a big issue right now with the weather the way that it is. Our boilers have been replaced several times and it now comes to a point where it is not worth repairing."
Pitard says one major problem is that the school falls short of standards for those with disabilities. Right now, many bathrooms are not handicapped accessible.
Another inconvenience for students will be classes held in outdoor facilities. Trailers will be set up in the parking lot to house English and math classes, and the resource lab. Administrators' offices will be in trailers until December.
"Kids are going to be going in and out (between the school and the trailers) and we don't have bathrooms out there, either. It is not going to affect education, but will affect traveling to and from classes. We probably will not have enough lockers to go around," Pitard said.
Adding to the distractions will be a big switch mid-year as construction repairs change floors.
"Midstream of next year, in January, everybody upstairs in the old building comes downstairs while the old building gets renovated. There will be a lot of noise, a lot of dust, a lot of activity."
Pitard asks for patience as the necessary work coincides with school activity this fall.
"Next year is going to be a constant year of disruption in school while the construction companies try to finish in time," he says. "Right now, they are looking pretty good. They are on target, if not ahead."
Construction companies expect be finished with the bulk of the work by the end of next summer. In the meantime, Pitard anticipates the obstacles but believes his staff is up to the challenges ahead.
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