The wind howled and shook the balloons at Indian Hills Middle Thursday as community members gathered to celebrate the beginning of a remodel and addition to the school. But nothing could sweep away students’ excitement to get the project going.
Whoops and cheers accompanied school leaders, administrators, local representatives and members of Canyons’ Board of Education as they ceremoniously turned over a shovel of dirt to mark the beginning of the final project made possible by a $250 million bond approved by voters in 2010. The project is scheduled to be completed for the 2018-2019 school year.
“I have no doubt that many of you wondered if this day would actually be realized,” Canyons Board of Education President Sherril Taylor told the crowd. “Everything we promised you has been done.”
The updated school will feature classrooms and collaboration spaces wired for the high-tech demands of a 21st-century education, it will be reconfigured to be more energy efficient, six new classrooms and a spacious cafeteria and commons area will be added with hallways filled with natural light. The school will be temporarily moved to the former site of Crescent View Middle while construction takes place.
“We’re proud of this new addition to the Sandy community,” Indian Hills Principal Doug Graham said, as students cheered. “We promise you it will be a place of learning, a place of knowledge, a place of true human power.”
Taylor recognized the attendance of representatives from Hogan Construction and FFKR Architects who will be working on the building, as well as District administrators and Rep. LaVar Christiansen, R-Draper; Utah State Board of Education representative Kathleen Riebe; Region 17 PTA Director Betty Shaw; Sandy Chamber of Commerce CEO and Canyons Education Foundation member Greg Summerhays; Draper City Councilman Bill Rappleye; Canyons Education Foundation President John Martindell; and Sandy Chief Administrative Officer Scott Bond.
The remodel is the last of 13 projects promised by the Canyons Board of Education with the passage of a $250 million bond. In seven years since the bond was passed, Canyons has built a new Corner Canyon High, rebuilt Midvale Elementary, renovated Albion Middle, added seismic improvements to Sandy Elementary, a new Draper Park Middle, rebuilt Butler Middle, a new Butler Elementary, additions to Brighton and Hillcrest high schools, and rebuilt Mount Jordan Middle. A new Alta View Elementary and Midvale Middle are currently under construction.
Additionally, the District added air conditioning to every school that did not previously have cooling air; security vestibules at all elementary schools; a soccer field, tennis courts and athletic fields near Brighton high; upgraded Alta High and made other improvements to Canyons facilities.
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