Inuvik (May 21/04) - Instead of going back to class Monday, Samuel Hearne secondary school staff, students and their parents returned to yet another information meeting following a fire that destroyed the school's gymnasium.

On May 13, more than 100 people attended a similar meeting to learn the status of the school in the wake of its foyer roof collapsing.

While no decision was made at that meeting as to when school would reopen, officials were confident it wouldn't be too long.

After inspectors gave the all clear Friday, signs were posted around town alerting students that classes would resume Monday.

However, staff and students arriving for school Monday were greeted with fire trucks and smoke rather than books and classrooms.

"I was broken-hearted when I got here," said principal Peter Hough. "We were all really anxious to get in there and do our work."

The fire is believed to have been started intentionally, and prior to Monday's meeting a 15-year-old youth had been taken into custody and later charged by Inuvik RCMP in connection with the blaze.

At Thursday's meeting the week prior, it was learned that the long closure was partly because a quantity of asbestos -- common around pipe fittings in buildings constructed before 1975 -- had contaminated part of the school when the roof collapsed. Though this caused quite a bit of concern among parents, officials guaranteed that an air-quality assessment would be done before any staff or students were permitted back into the building.

On Monday, concerns turned to whether or not the school would reopen at all.

"The gym is off limits for the rest of the year," said Brian Lemax, regional superintendent for Public Works. "And right now, I hesitate to give an opening time -- hopefully next week."

At press time, Beaufort Delta Education Council Superintendent James Anderson was unable to give an estimate on the damage to the school.

Anderson says that investigators would arrive Wednesday (yesterday) to evaluate the structural integrity of the gym, as well as give an estimate to the cost of repairs.

"The gym floor was refinished a year ago, and with all the water, it has started on buckle. In my opinion, I'm not confident it can be recovered," he said.

With two-thirds of the secondary school out of commission, many at the meeting were wondering if building a new facility should be the way to go. "There will have to be a series of public consultations before Education Culture and Employment makes any decisions," said Anderson. "The Capital Plan is very malleable. If a building all of a sudden burns down it may become a priority."

In the meantime, Aurora College's gymnasium hosted classes for SHSS students beginning Tuesday.