Tall and tough to climb, that's Chippewa’s new fence

Staff at the Near North District School Board have provided more information on the fence set to rise around Chippewa Secondary School. Construction will begin in the coming weeks, “as soon as the contractor is able” to do so, board staff noted.

Students, parents, and staff should expect to see material and equipment arrive in the next week or so, so keep an eye out for safety’s sake.

No plans or conceptual drawings have been released, but here is what we know. There will be two separate enclosures, one around the building and the other enclosing the field.

The bus loop and parking lots will not be enclosed by the fence, and public pathways will not be obstructed. One gate will be added to access the rear tech shop doors, and “all pathways will have gates, with double-wide gates in specific locations to allow access for EMS and maintenance vehicles as required,” staff explained.

They also noted that the fence will be a combination of ornamental steel and chain link. The ornamental steel fence will be along the southeast corner adjacent to High Street and Chippewa Street West. This fence will be eight feet high.

The ornamental section will also deter climbers as the fencing curves outwards at the top.

The chain link sections will be galvanized, eight feet high, with one-inch hexes, which will be very difficult to climb as well. Not much room for a toe hold. This fence will run around the remainder of the school. Along the wooded areas, the fence will be six feet high.

See: Chippewa fence will rise in ‘coming weeks’

See: On guard: School board green lights Chippewa fencing

See: King 'surprised' by Chippewa fence project

The new fence will cost $611,000 and is meant to increase student safety and reduce trespassing on school grounds. There is a warming centre and low-barrier shelter across the street, and some folks using those facilities have caused incidents at the school, the board explained.

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.