Darren Campbell
Northern News Services

NNSL (Aug 28/98) - Yellowknife Catholic schools is looking to borrow a little cash -- $9.2 million to be exact.

And on Sept. 28 Catholic school ratepayers will be asked in a referendum to approve the school board borrowing $9.2 million to build a replacement for Weledeh Catholic school.

The plan is to move the Weledeh students into the old St. Patrick High School, while the old Weledeh School is demolished and reconstructed. Once that construction is done, Weledeh and the new St. Patrick high school will be attached.

Catholic school board assistant superintendent of business, Annalise Van Ham, said with some sections of Weledeh over 30 years old, something has to be done.

"Weledeh needs a solution," said Van Ham. "We need to do something about that building."

The board's assistant superintendent of instruction, Don Kindt, said Weledeh needs a whole new electrical and mechanical system and a ventilation system.

Also, the board wants a school that will have multi-purpose rooms and have zones for kindergarten, Grade 2, grades 3-5, and 6-8.

Originally the plan was to renovate Weledeh, however, when cost estimates for such work came in around the $9 million mark, the board decided to build a new school for almost the same amount of money.

"There is no sense in spending that kind of money if the systems aren't effective in delivering today's education programs," said Van Ham.

The tough part for the school board now is getting the ratepayers to approve their borrowing.

For those Catholic ratepayers worried about being left holding a $9.2 million bag, Van Ham said that won't happen.

"This is not going to come out of their pockets," said Van Ham. "We simply need their approval to proceed."

Under the financing agreement, the territorial government has committed to make operating contributions to the board over the next 20 years. The board will use those contributions to pay off the debt over time.

Kindt said he also can reassure ratepayers the Weledeh project won't go over budget.

"This project will be on budget," said Kindt. "If it's over $9.2 million it will be because some other partners have added money to the pot."