PROVO, Utah – The Provo City School District has proposed a bond of up to $90 million to fund the reconstruction of several schools in the area.
The proposal came after a request from the Facility Advisory Committee, and officials are considering using the funds for reconstructions of Dixon Middle School, Rock Canyon Elementary School, Edgemont Elementary School, Provost Elementary School and Sunset View Elementary School.
A series of open houses will be held to allow the public to discuss the proposal after hearing a presentation. Click here for the schedule of those meetings.
Jennifer Partridge is the chairwoman of the Facility Advisory Committee, and she said tearing down and rebuilding the schools rather than remodeling them is the best course of action.
“The return on investment is so much better if we just start over, so that they can be, not only up to the codes, but better built for the needs of education in the 21st Century,” she said. “The old buildings are as old as 1931 up to 1964, and there’s just a lot that needs to be done.”
Partridge said a committee of parents reviewed data from architects and determined which schools needed work. She said several of the schools weren’t meeting code requirements.
Partridge said she thinks more than $90 million is needed, but she said they kept the bond at that amount as they were concerned about burdening tax payers.
