The Rainy River District School Board (RRDSB) is excited to announce the beginning of a multiphase renewal effort at Fort Frances High School. The school last underwent a major addition and renovation effort in 1999 to create the existing facility as it stands now.
Since then, the school has most recently received new boilers, a new fire alarm system, and the installation of Energy Recover Ventilators to improve fresh air intake rates in the winter. Other renewal efforts have involved the replacement of windows and the second-floor hallway flooring. However, there are still several priorities as part of the multiphase effort which will begin this summer, including:
- Complete replacement of all remaining roof areas installed prior to 1999, as well as maintenance and repair of select roofing areas
- Replacement of First Floor Hallway Flooring
- Replacement of Interior Door Hardware, as well as replacement of select classroom doors
- West Bus Lane Exterior Entrance sidewalk replacement so all entrances are wheelchair accessible
- Parking Lot Patching and Repair to extend life of existing asphalt
- Some Exterior Brick Repair and Maintenance
- First and Second Floor Central and First Floor Northwest Washroom renovations.
The schedule for the above work shows completion of most items during the summer months. As the washroom renovations are too extensive to all be completed during this time, a phased approach will be used. The phased approach will ensure that there are sufficient washrooms open to students throughout the construction period. The renovations are scheduled to begin shortly, with any excessive noise, dust, or smell-producing activities being limited to outside the school day.
The washroom renovations are the most exciting aspect of this project as we move toward a Multiple Single Use (Gender Neutral) design. This design increases privacy, as each toileting space will be floor-to-ceiling walls with a lockable full door, while enhancing inclusivity. Outside the lavatory stalls will be the handwashing station, which is open to the hallway, increasing student safety.
This design is becoming prevalent in modern facilities such as airports, museums, and schools. Our new Northern Lakes K-12 school in Atikokan already has this design and the new Rainy River K-12 school will incorporate this design as well, once constructed.
“We have heard from both students and staff of the need to improve the bathroom setup at Fort Frances High School,” said Heather Campbell, Director of Education, citing this need was identified in several ThoughtExchange surveys conducted by the Board. “We believe that the new design will allow all students to feel safe, comfortable, and included when using the facilities, and will improve the overall feeling of safety and acceptance within the school community.”
Please see a floor plan below for an example of what is to be constructed, as well as a picture of our Northern Lakes washroom area.