THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, August 21, 1994 TAG: 9408190278
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 10 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY VANEE VINES, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 54 lines
School officials, like many a child stuck inside on a rainy day, are hoping that after weeks of daily deluges the rain has finally gone away.
That is because heavy rainfall earlier this month and in July put a damper on several timetables for re-roofing jobs at city schools and created a few setbacks for other construction projects.
Anthony L. Arnold, the district's director of facilities planning and construction, told the School Board on Tuesday that roofing jobs at only two of five schools would be finished - or nearly finished - by the time school opens Sept. 7.
The two are Kempsville Meadows and College Park elementary schools. The others are Hermitage Elementary, Virginia Beach Middle and First Colonial High, where all work is expected to be completed no later than Sept. 30.
Most contractors have agreed to work on weekends to catch up, Arnold said.
Some schools were damaged when rain leaked into buildings where roofs had been opened, Arnold said. School officials said contractors are responsible for cleaning up the schools and fixing damages under such circumstances.
``If we get some good weather from here on out things should be OK,'' Arnold told the board.
By most accounts, rain thwarted efforts to spread asphalt or finish site-improvement work, such as refurbishing the tennis court at First Colonial High.
At Ocean Lakes High, a pipe used to direct the flow of rainwater broke under the gymnasium floor, which meant parts of the floor had to be pulled up and replaced, Arnold saidl. The new school, he added, is otherwise ``99 percent done.'' ILLUSTRATION: RAIN DELAYS
Here are projects delayed by the weather.
Kempsville Meadows Elementary: The project is 65 percent
complete. Most work should be done by Sept. 2.
Hermitage Elementary: The project is 55 percent complete. Most
work should be done by Sept. 23.
College Park Elementary: The project is 95 percent complete. Most
work should be done by Sept. 2.
Virginia Beach Middle: The project is 35 percent complete. Most
work should be done by Sept. 30.
First Colonial High: The project is 45 percent complete. Most
work should be done by Sept. 30.
Source: Virginia Beach City Public Schools
by CNB