THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, August 6, 1996 TAG: 9608060411
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY NANCY LEWIS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: 47 lines
Hoping to bolster a community effort to make up for cutbacks in Granby High School's renovation, a coalition of neighborhood businesses has joined hands with the school's PTA.
The Greater Wards Corner Business Association this past week opened a bank account with an initial deposit of $250, then turned the passbook over to the parent-teacher group.
The school system came up short in June when it got down to the nitty gritty of the long-awaited upgrade of the 57-year-old school. The system had to trim a $25.4 million bid to the $21 million that was available, so the planned enlargement and overhaul of the school's dilapidated gymnasium and some of the hardware for the computer program, among other things, were slashed.
Parents and teachers expressed disappointment, but the problem of funding capital projects for schools is a national one.
The Wards Corner business owners hope to rally fund-raising support.
``Here at Wards Corner we've adopted Granby as our school,'' association president Eloise Myers said. ``We feel that we need to support the school because of its close proximity. The better the schools, the better the area around, and the gym is an important part of the school.
``And the computer program - that's something that can make a difference in education, one of the most important things right now.''
Brian Hirschler, past president of the business association, said: ``Granby High is our adopted school. What happens to Granby affects our neighborhood and our children. These children deserve to have a first-class school.
``Property values, our ability to attract new businesses and Wards Corner's quality of life are all affected by this decision.''
The renovation will increase the size of the school by nearly 70 percent, to 265,000 square feet from 157,000.
The gymnasium is in such bad shape that basketball games must be canceled when it rains because the roof leaks, and officials said the best they could do would be to repaint the gym.
After officials finished re-budgeting the project, plans for computers were cut back and lockers were to be refaced rather than replaced. A stereo-sound communication system was no longer in the offing.
To bring down costs, cuts were also made in food service equipment, building material quality, landscaping and other technology. MEMO: Donations may be sent to: Friends of Granby High School Fund, Life
Savings Bank, P.O. Box 9607, Norfolk, Va. 23505. by CNB