Things are coming along well with construction of the new Maple View Public School. Last October, crews poured the concrete foundations, and some block walls began to rise, and now, the building looks near completion.
Doors are scheduled to open this September, in time for the school year.
The new public JK-6 school will bring together the students of E.W. Norman and E.T. Carmichael and is located on the former W.J. Fricker property at 790 Norman Avenue, North Bay.
See related: Near North unveils name of new elementary school
The Near North District School Board, which is undertaking the project, promised the classrooms would be awash with natural light. They certainly delivered on this vow, as the building’s front side is mostly glass, separated by grey stone-like material. Light coloured wood has been installed above most window bays, providing an added natural touch to the building’s façade.
Indeed, the school board noticed that while choosing a name for the school, many residents wanted to emphasize “the natural beauty of the geography which is special to the area.” Hence the name, Maple View, which beat out the contenders Graniteville and Trout Lake Public School.
W.J. Fricker Public School closed at the end of the 2019-2020 school year, and E.T. Carmichael and E.W. Norman have been declared as surplus property as of September 1, 2023. The new school is budgeted to cost $17,580,000.
See: Warm memories shared for beloved public school
David Briggs is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of BayToday, a publication of Village Media. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
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