‘Nightmare’: Parents despair over ongoing repairs at area high school

The parents of a Grade 9 student at a London-area high school say he hasn’t been going to classes for weeks in part over what his parents believe are unsafe conditions at the school.

“It’s been a nightmare,” said Rick Russell, whose son is supposed to be attending West Elgin secondary school on Graham Road in West Lorne. “All the work was supposed to be done over the summer. The renovations they are doing on the school are nine months behind. The school is literally torn apart. They aren’t using half of the school.

“We are worried about wires or cement falling.”

West Elgin secondary school, about 60 kilometres southwest of London, is home to both urban and rural students in the areas of West Elgin including Iona Station, Wallacetown, Dutton Dunwich and Rodney.

The school is one of about 160 schools in the Thames Valley District school board that includes Elgin, Middlesex and Oxford counties and London, St. Thomas and Woodstock. Most of its student population arrive on school buses.

Russell said he has been waiting for weeks for school administration to return calls about safety issues at the school.

Russell’s son, Alexander, 14, describes the school as having no drywall on the ceilings with exposed wires and pipes, lights dangling and wires hanging down.

“It doesn’t look safe. It looks really concerning,” he said.

First built in 1952, West Elgin was expanded when an addition was added in 1970, the school’s website says.

Alexander said they had to change classrooms because an instructor said the “air is not safe to breathe” in his former technology classroom.

Article content

Wiring and pipes are exposed in the halls in West Elgin secondary school in this photo from the Rick and Katherine Russell family, whose son Alexander, has not been attending school over safety concerns. (Submitted photo)
Wiring and pipes are exposed in the halls in West Elgin secondary school in this photo from the Rick and Katherine Russell family, whose son Alexander, has not been attending school over safety concerns. (Submitted photo)
Wiring and pipes are exposed in the halls in West Elgin secondary school in this photo from the Rick and Katherine Russell family, whose son Alexander, has not been attending school over safety concerns. (Submitted photo)
Wiring and pipes are exposed in the halls in West Elgin secondary school in this photo from the Rick and Katherine Russell family, whose son Alexander, has not been attending school over safety concerns. (Submitted photo)
Wiring and pipes are exposed in the halls in West Elgin secondary school in this photo from the Rick and Katherine Russell family, whose son Alexander, has not been attending school over safety concerns. (Submitted photo)

Due to the renovation, the cafeteria isn’t open for lunch, Alexander said.

“I’m upset the school is in this state,” said his mother Katherine Russell. “My son should be in school but he’s not.”

Students have to leave the school during lunch hour, she said.

Geoff Vogt, superintendent of facility services and capital planning, said the first phase of work is expected to be completed “by the end of this calendar year.”

The second phase will begin next spring and be completed by the end of 2025, he said.

“The project is moving forward well, though we are a few weeks behind schedule due to the complexity of the work,” he said. “Third-party vendors have been conducting regular health and safety reviews and consistently provide updates, confirming that the construction activities pose no health hazards.”

Safety reviews will continue until the end of the project, Vogt said.

The Russell family say when Alexander has tried to take the bus to school it drives past him or leaves him at school, adding to their frustration.

Ryan Readings, chief administrator of Southwestern Ontario Student Transportation Services, said “safety is our No. 1 priority.”

“We are committed to fully investigating incidents such as this with the specific service provider,” he said.

hrivers@postmedia.com

@HeatheratLFP

Recommended from Editorial