Caledonia Senior Secondary school is getting $72,000 worth of bleachers this year.
The school board approved the new bleachers for the school at a June 8 staff meeting, citing health and safety concerns and good timing.
The new 10-row telescopic bleachers will cost the Coast Mountains School District around $72,000.
The bleachers set to be replaced are original to the school building – putting them at 40-plus years in use.
Terrace trustee Art Erasmus said the bleachers were shaky 10 years ago.
“That is a major assembly area for the school and among other things the timing happens to be when the school floor needs to be replaced,” he said.
“To change bleachers when you change the floor makes an awful lot of good common sense,” Erasmus continued.
He was supported by Kitimat trustee Raymond Raj, who said replacing the bleachers had become a health and safety issue for students.
“We have to fix it or shut it down, and we cannot shut it down, so this is the only way,” Raj said.
Vice-principal at Caledonia Keith Axelson said the school is very happy with the decision.
“We were pretty excited about that, its been a long time coming,” said Axelson.
He said work on both the gym floor and the new bleachers will take place during the summer.
“We’re hoping they will get it all finished and ready for September,” Axelson said.
The bleachers are used for sporting events, school assemblies and community gatherings.
