SOMBA K’E/YELLOWKNIFE
A few projects are in the works for Yellowknife Catholic Schools to improve the schools, and enhance storage in the district.

The Tallah building, pictured above, will be getting a new roof thanks to $130,000 set aside from the 2014/2015 minor capital budget for Yellowknife Catholic Schools, a total budget of $250,000. Trustees approved the project during the district board meeting on March 12. - NNSL file photo

The projects were approved in the minor capital budget during the board's meeting on March 12, which lasted 40 minutes over lunch. Two of the projects will come out of the $150,000 2013/2014 minor capital budget: new carpets at St. Patrick High School and the purchase of a new Bobcat for the district.

Almost all of the carpets in the high school will be replaced at a cost of slightly more than $48,000, which trustees voted in favor of rather than the previous suggestion of replacing only six classroom carpets at a cost of $20,000.

The new Bobcat for the district will come in at $43,000 to replace the old machine, which is used for maintenance of the grounds at Weledeh and St. Patrick high school.

"We use the Bobcat specifically for the walkways and keeping them clear of snow," said Simon Taylor, chair of YCS.

These two projects bring the 2013/2014 minor capital budget over $4,600 but Mike Huvenaars, assistant superintendent of business said they are worth it. Taking care of the carpets and the Bobcat from this school year's budget will leave them with only one major ticket item for next year.

That is a $120,000 project replacing the roof of the Tallah building, located at 4509 Franklin Ave., beside the old Prestige nightclub which the district purchased for $1.41 million in September 2011. The district gains rental income from Aurora College, which uses the building.

The roof is in such a state of disrepair that Huvenaars said it needs to be replaced completely instead of just being repaired.

"It's been patched up a few times but still has leaks," Huvenaars said at the meeting. "A few options have been considered but it is in too bad of shape to do anything but replace it all."

Also for next year are the purchases of three new sea storage cans, valued at $6,500 each, for each school. The ATCO trailers which are currently being used for storage are in bad shape and cannot be moved from the Tin Can Hill location where they're stored without falling apart, Huvenaars said.

Huvenaars suggested the sea cans because they are "weather-proof, relatively cheap and not easily broken into." He said the purchase of the sea cans doesn't necessarily have to happen during the 2014-2015 year, but budgeting for the project needs to happen now.

With these renovations and a few other minor projects, the draft minor capital budget for 2014/2015 is totaled at $240,000 compared to last year's $150,000. Yellowknifer was unable to obtain the district's draft revenue and expenditures budget for 2014/2015, as Huvenaars and many other board members are away until the beginning of April on holidays.