The Bottom, Saba -Under the responsibility of the Public Entity Saba, extensive renovations have started at the Sacred Heart School (SHS). In addition, the construction of the new parking lot in the back of the schools in St. John’s has resumed.

The school yard of SHS is being resurfaced. The contractor Saba Roads already took out the old concrete slaps. The new layer of concrete will also be more sloping so the water runs off better and doesn’t stagnate in the school yard, explained Commissioner of Education and Public Works Bruce Zagers who recently visited the project together with Head of the Planning Bureau Bobby Zagers.

All windows and doors will be replaced.

In addition, the existing bathrooms will be remodeled and some new bathrooms will be built. Also, the perimeter fence will be completely restored. The fence got damaged by the 2017 hurricanes and had been temporarily fixed. Works at the SHS started early July, right after the school summer vacation started. The project has a six weeks scope, the duration of the summer holiday.

“The renovations at the SHS is the first project that the Public Entity will execute following the signing of the agreement with the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW) in The Hague in April this year. The agreement arranges the transfer of the responsibility for the construction and renovation of the school buildings on Saba to the local government.  The vast majority of the work will be done during the summer holidays as not to inconvenience the pupils and staff,” said Commissioner Zagers.

The Ministry of OCW will make the US $7 million in total available for the renovation of the SHS, the Saba Comprehensive School (SCS), as well as the construction of the new day care, also at St. John’s. At the SCS, the roof will be replaced of the classroom next to the school’s entrance.The Public Entity will finance the change of the roof sheeting of the technical school at Cove Bay.

Construction of the parking area behind the schools has resumed after a hiccup of a technical nature. Now that the summer vacation has started, the project has intensified. The parking lot will provide parking space for about 30 cars. It will improve safety and make the traffic flow better. The parking lot will be circular with one way in and one way out.

The Public Works Department is acting as the contractor in this project, which is an initiative of the Public Entity. Ross Contractor Services does the excavation work, and Hescon and Saba Roads provide the concrete. The Planning Bureau did the lay out and the planning.