BRISTOL, Connecticut, U.S.A. – Since September, students at Bristol Eastern High School have been living with noise, dust, water puddles in the halls, falling objects and strange odors.
So when is this construction stuff finally going to be done?
“The construction is going as planned from the start. We have just completed phase one,” said Stan Petrow, the project executive.
Workers recently completed the English and social studies hallways. The renovated rooms are equipped with new windows, additional electrical outlets and the heaters and other hardware got a coat of slate-colored paint.
Yet students can only celebrate for so long — because contractors have moved on to the foreign language hallway. This means more aggravation for students as well as teachers.
Construction crews continue to install lights that turn off and on automatically, along with new windows and floor tiles.
The ceiling tiles, however, are on hold.
Petrow said that water is leaking through the cracks in the ceiling. “Why would we want to ruin our brand new tiles,” said Petrow.
You have heard it yourself, students, so don’t forget your umbrellas.
It could always get worse, but the school has tried to help the situation. For instance, it recently put garbage cans in place of buckets for all the leaking water.
The leaks should be cleared up when the school gets a new roof as part of the construction project.
The overall renovation project — which will cost nearly $40 million for both city high schools — includes the movement of Eastern’s media center to the first floor as well as a new computer lab.
Eastern will also get new bathrooms with new electronic sinks. Sprinklers and temperature controls are other devices being installed.
“We expect for Eastern’s construction to be completed for the year 2000 and 2001 school year,” said Elia Gontezes, the project manager who oversees both schools.
Eastern students, don’t fall into distress, though you’ll have to live with the smell and headaches for at least another year.
But when Eastern is completed, what may now look like a cave could get better.
Shaunte Miller-Ligon is a Reporter for Youth Journalism International.
