Construction Delays Push Grand Reopening Date

Unfortunately, due to ongoing construction delays, the W̱SÁNEĆ School Board made the very difficult decision to postpone Friday’s reopening event. We deeply regret the inconvenience to Elders, community members, partners, honoured guests, and dignitaries who planned to attend our grand reopening on October 21st, 2022. 

“We have looked forward to Friday’s celebration with anticipation. We wanted to display a completed, polished, finished product and that’s not the case. To host a celebration on a half-finished site with several major safety issues is out of integrity with who we are as an organization.” shares Curtis Olsen, the Administrator. “In light of these issues, we have been forced to postpone our celebration until we can present a completed project.” 

Terry Ward, the project manager explains the delays, “The school project funded by Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) was required to be tendered to a General Contractor. Previous school projects were constructed using a construction manager and local labour.”

COVID and supply chain issues previously delayed the project, which is now over a year behind schedule. Ward continues, “In August we had to postpone the opening set for September 1st as it became apparent that the general contractor would not complete on their latest schedule. The promise at that time was a completion by the end of September. They are not yet complete with the latest deadline of October 31st.” 

This latest delay by the general contractor has forced the W̱SÁNEĆ School Board to postpone the event until further notice. “Out of respect for our staff, students, and community members, we will not announce a new date until construction is complete”, continues Olsen.

“The project team, consisting of over a dozen community members, have all done a great job making difficult decisions like this during the course of this project.” Olsen continues “It’s incredibly disappointing for everyone involved. We are all doing our best to move this forward, but there are simply factors outside our control.”