New St. David school opening a year later than expected

Originally slated to open at the beginning of the current school year, the new St. David Catholic Elementary School won't open until September 2016.

Construction delays related to blasting at the rocky, treed site off of Frood Road have meant that students will move into the $8-million building a year later than originally expected.

Last September, the Sudbury Catholic District School Board still thought it might be able to get its students into the new school by the middle of the school year, but even those hopes were dashed.

Sudbury Catholic board chair Michael Bellmore said construction is now slated to be completed in March.

Because it would be fairly close to the end of the school year before the site was cleaned up and students could move in, the board made the decision to delay the school's opening to this coming September.

Parents were informed of the board's decision through a letter last fall. While the project is not on time, it is on budget, Bellmore said.

The new, 22,097-square-foot St. David school, located in a treed area on Frood Road not far from the old school of the same name, will accommodate 200 pupils from junior kindergarten to Grade 6.

In a more “homey” architectural style, it will feature a sloped roof, and a walkway over the stream running through the property. To echo the natural area where it's being located, wood is being used in the construction.

The contractor working on the project is Niacon Ltd. Construction Company, based out of Niagara Falls.

“We are of course disappointed that the project didn't come to fruition when we wanted it to, but we also understand the realities of construction and that you can experience delays, especially when you've got a project of this magnitude,” Bellmore said.

“We're just anxious and excited and optimistic about the future of St. David , getting the new site open and operational, and starting a new academic year in this new site.”