This past week, we had our official pre-construction meeting at Mountain Way School to discuss all of the specifics around the construction process. The contractor who was awarded the job, Fuscon Enterprises, met with the district team of Mr. Maire, Mrs. Jensich, Mr. Beattie, Mrs. Lion-Bailey, and Officer Rolph, as well as the district architects and their associated engineers. At the meeting, we discussed timelines for the project, on-site project management, safety measures concerning traffic flow, and other details related to the project overall. It was a very productive and positive meeting, which served well to set the tone for the project moving forward.
During the week of October 9th, the contractor intends to erect the construction fencing, station the construction office trailer, and the construction restrooms on the site. As part of this process, screening will be attached to both sides of the fencing which will aid in mitigating noise and visual distraction for the classrooms facing the site. Additionally, an emergency egress path will be left between the fence and the existing exterior wall of the building, allowing building occupants to exit in the event of an emergency. In addition to this egress, we will also be adding an additional exterior door in the Kindergarten wing that will be used as an emergency exit should the need ever arise. Once the egresses are completed and functional, excavation work will begin at the location of the addition (projected during the week of October 16). Mrs. Lion-Bailey will be reviewing the revised building evacuation plans with all staff once the new exits are in place and we will practice a fire drill using the new plan prior to the start of excavation.
Another topic that was discussed in detail at the pre-construction meeting was the traffic flow of construction vehicles throughout the year. As one can imagine, the initial process will require excavation and therefore, some dump truck traffic. Once the initial excavation is complete, construction vehicle traffic will be drastically minimized. Officer Rolph was instrumental in developing a plan with the site manager that will restrict construction vehicle traffic during our arrival and dismissal times, thereby creating a safe environment for our students and families. We appreciate the partnership of the construction company in recognizing the importance of this plan and their cooperation in this matter.
While we are fortunate to be able to restrict construction traffic during arrival and dismissal, any construction vehicle access restrictions during the school day will hinder construction progress. Therefore, we will need to strike a delicate balance and make several accommodations. This will include keeping our parking lot area accessible, supporting traffic flow, during the initial weeks of the project (until excavation is complete). As a result, we will be adopting a slightly modified recess plan for the first several weeks of construction. We will be pivoting to lunch in the classrooms during this brief window which will allow us to use the gym for athletics activities and the front of the building for outdoor socialization and other game type activities. Once the initial excavation is complete, we will activate the previously discussed recess plan of utilizing the parking lot and front area of the building.
We are excited to get the process started as we work to build the future of Mountain Way School. There will be tremendous benefits to our programs, our space, and our students upon completion of this project. As always, we thank the parents and the community for their continued support, flexibility, and understanding.