MONCTON, N.B. – A $27.4-million contract has been awarded for the construction of a new regional high school in Moncton. Foulem Construction ltée of Caraquet will begin work immediately.
"I am pleased that a New Brunswick construction firm has been awarded the contract to build a new regional high school in Moncton," said Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Claude Williams. "The school will offer a dynamic learning and working environment in state-of-the-art facilities while stimulating the local economy during construction."
The 16,500-square-metre (184,000-square-foot) school is being built on a 13.2-hectare (33-acre) site on Elmwood Drive and will accommodate about 1,250 students. It will have two elevators, 27 classrooms, a double gymnasium, two sports fields, science and technology laboratories, arts and music rooms, family studies rooms, an industrial arts area, two multi-purpose rooms, fitness room, library, stage, cafeteria and kitchen.
There will also be space for a future theatre beside the new double gymnasium with the option to hold graduations and theatre presentations at the aging Moncton High School on Church Street in the downtown, which is to be re-purposed once the new school opens in the fall of 2014.
Eight bids were received; the tender was issued in November 2012 and was closed in January of this year. Williams said all the bids were "very competitive," producing $11 million in savings for the provincial government.
The provincial government has been working with the City of Moncton on required infrastructure upgrades on Elmwood Drive. A left-hand turn has been constructed to serve as a primary entrance to the site. Site preparation has been completed.
