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School roof rips

Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

Baker Lake (Jun 13/01) - No one knows how much it will cost to fix the damage to Rachel Arngnammaktiq elementary school in Baker Lake.

The school's roof was badly torn during the freak wind storm that howled through most of the Kivalliq Region this past month.

The storm also damaged the roof of the Sakku building in Rankin Inlet.

Brian McKay, regional director for the Department of Public Works in Rankin Inlet, sent his workers into Baker to assess the damage shortly after the storm had subsided enough to allow for air travel.

"They looked it over and concluded that there was no serious structural damage of any sort," says McKay. "We've contracted the hamlet to do the actual repairs, which are well under way, but we haven't ascertained a final price on the damage yet.

"It's hard to do an estimate standing on a roof in the middle of a wind storm, so we did a cost-plus contract with the hamlet."

The hamlet of Baker Lake will conduct the repairs to the school's roof and then forward an invoice to DPW in Rankin detailing labour costs, material and an administration fee.

McKay says the damage was so bad, repairs had to be undertaken immediately to prevent water damage.

Once the hamlet completes the repairs, DPW will examine the work to ensure it was done properly.

McKay says his department also plans to send a team to Baker before the end of July to examine the entire roof to determine the exact cause of the damage and to ensure, as best they can, it won't happen again. He says although he'd prefer the damage had never happened at all, the hamlet's willingness to carry out the repairs worked out well for his department.

"The majority of the materials to do the repairs were available to the hamlet right in Baker Lake. The finish layer, or top coat, was the only thing not available and that will come up on the barge. Everything else is water tight and well sealed until it arrives."