Green Valley School awarded $14.6 million tender, trustee full of hope

Hanover School Division announced tender approval for Grunthal’s Green Valley School expansion and addition during Tuesday evening’s school board meeting.

The $14.6 million tender was awarded to Three Way Builders Ltd. in Steinbach.

Ward 4 South trustee Cheryl Froese shared her personal thoughts on the project going to tender.

“I’m excited doesn’t begin to describe how I feel. I am just imagining all the town’s people of Grunthal and how excited they will be to see the shovel finally go in the dirt. They’ve waited a long time.”

The gym expansion and classroom additions were approved by the previous PC government for $12 million in 2021. In preparation for the construction project, three portable classrooms at the south end of the school were removed, as was a play structure. Last September, the NDP put the project on hold.

When the government gave the go ahead once again in May, the school division had to resubmit plans to comply with new building codes. The government did reimburse the school division $650,000 for paperwork and permits related to the defunct build. But, the province didn’t pay to reinstall the three portable classrooms at a cost of $900,000, which was paid for by the school division.

While the 16,490 square foot addition of three classrooms and a workout room is needed for the crowed school, it’s the 7,158 square foot gym expansion that will affect the community the most.

Froese said when the school was built about 60 years ago, the residents knew the gym was too small. The gym was so small that Manitoba High School Athletic Association sports tournaments couldn’t be held there and music concerts had to be split over a couple of days to accommodate all the parents that wanted to see their children perform. Froese feels that the build will be a source of hope for the community.

“I thoroughly encourage as many Grunthal and area people to come out when the shovel actually goes in the ground. Because I think it will lift the spirits of a lot of us to see that this is actually going to happen,” she said.

“I probably will cry when I see it happen. I hope that it draws our community together and that we can use that space to cheer on our kids and to welcome other schools…it will just highlight what we already have. What we know we have, that the gym can actually highlight that.”

The school division doesn’t yet know when construction will commence.