Students and staff at West Park Elementary School are better protected from the cold and heat with the completion of the first phase of a $2.2-million project to upgrade and modernize the exterior of the building.
The exterior envelope of much of the school was enhanced with upgraded insulation, triple-glazed tinted windows and new doors. New metal cladding, brick veneer and split-faced masonry blocks also provide a fresh look. Work started early last fall and was completed about a month ago.
The second phase will focus on exterior insulation and new cladding for the gymnasium, with construction likely to begin next year. The project was divided into phases to make it work within Red Deer Public Schools' budget.
Matt Schultz, facilities manager with Red Deer Public, said much of the building's exterior had not been touched since the 1970s.
"It was definitely due for an energy-efficient upgrade," Schultz said about West Park at the ribbon cutting ceremony held on Monday in conjunction with the school's National Indigenous Peoples Day celebration.
Constructed in 1957 with six classrooms, West Park had multiple renovations and additions in the early 1960s to address the city's growing population.
"These schools were built with almost no insulation. They relied on the brick and on the cladding to protect the school from the elements. So by adding insulation and significantly better windows, we should see significant changes on our utility bills for the school," Schultz said.
Windows in each of the classrooms can open for ventilation, and also bring in a lot of natural light.
He said over the years, sections of classroom windows were blocked out in an effort to improve energy efficiency, which also made the classroom interiors darker.
"With energy-efficient glass, we were able to open that back up again and now we've got a full wall of windows in each of the classrooms, which was the original design."
He said efforts were made to adhere to the building's architectural style, including using the original font to spell out the name of the school.
Minor electrical upgrades were also included in the project.
