As the damage from the July 1 storm, and ensuing storm is fully assessed in Yorkton, one of the buildings sustaining significant damage is the Yorkton Regional High School.Officials with the Good Spirit School Division toured Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall, Minister of Finance Ken Krawetz and other officials through the school last Wednesday, where they showed evidence up to six-feet of water flooded the school's mechanical room which houses the facility's six boilers, four water heaters and various electrical equipment.
Withman Jacobin, GSSD Superintendent of Schools explained work began the clean up process the Monday after the storm, and added CDT International out of Ontario was brought in to do much of the work, having 12 people on-site the day of the Premier's visit.
Two main failures occurred at the school; a break in the storm sewer line due to the extreme volume of water coming off the roof which caused flooding in the crawl space of the school, and the fresh air intakes for the school air handling system are located below grade and a large amount of water flowed through the intakes and flooded the crawl space.
The flooding of the crawl space containing the air handling equipment and duct work has become a major issue, explained Teresa Korol, Facility Manager with GSSD. She explained due to the contamination certain procedures are required to ensure the environmental contaminants do not migrate into inhabited areas.
Jacobin said testing of air quality has begun, and that will continue through the next few weeks to ensure future student health is protected.
"We've learned the process is going to take a little time, a few weeks to do some testing down there," he said in a Yorkton This Week interview Monday.
Jacobin said crews are assessing whether they can isolate the crawl space area, and draw air for the school through a temporary system drawing on an outside area. The fix might include installing temporary duct work in the school too to ensure isolation of the affected area.
"It's in that crawl space area where the contamination is," he said.
Korol said tentative plans had been discussed to request provincial funding to move the fresh air intake system from the basement crawl space to the school roof, but that project, estimated at $500,000 to $800,000 was not undertaken.
In addition to extensive damage in the basement area, water seeped down the inner wall of the gymnasium and caused warping of an area of the wooden floor. Dryers and dehumidifiers were in use to try and correct the problem.
Jacobin said the extent of the overall damage had roughly been estimated at one to two-million dollars.
Jacobin said Monday the school division continues to work with the insurance companies regarding what is covered by policies, adding the final coverage level had not yet been determined.
What is not covered by insurance will fall to the school division, and the province.Wall said it is such disasters the province established its rainy day fund for, and he said this year it will be relied on as much of the province has experienced heavier than normal rainfall.
Wall said in Yorkton the Disaster Assistance Program had already issued 327 cheques to individuals in the city, and he promised his government would stay abreast of the school situation.
Wall said flood relief has already hit $80 million, not counting the new aid package of $30 an acre announced for flooded farmland.
"It's been a year's worth of rain in eight weeks across the province," he said, adding he thought the provincial costs was "going to grow," as a result of flooding.
The situation is such at the school that as of Monday it was still unclear whether school can begin when scheduled for the final week of August.
"The trouble is coming up with a date (as to when the work might be completed)," offered Jacobin. "Obviously we don't want to disrupt the school year."
Jacobin said it is still hoped work can be completed to offer classes in the school. If that does not happen he said the school division is looking at alternatives, most likely a system of portable classrooms in the parking lot area.
The school expects approximately 800 students to attend class this fall.
