New ventilation system underway for 60-year-old elementary school in Florence
FLORENCE, Colo., (KRDO) -- After nearly 60 years, a new heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system will be installed at Fremont Elementary school in Florence to give students and staff better air quality and ventilation.
It's a $7.3 million project, but with help from the state's BEST grant program, the school will receive $3.8 million to help make this a reality.
The school is celebrating its 60th birthday next year and new adjustments need to be made.
"It was built with no air ventilation system whatsoever in the building. We have classrooms where you can open the door, open the windows and that's basically how you cool off and move air safely through the building," said Brenda Krage, Superintendent for the Fremont School District Re-2.
For the last year and a half, the school has turned to alternative measures, but Principal Mindy Holman believes it is not a complete solution.
"We brought in the portable filters last year and that improved the air quality in the rooms but it is definitely just a temporary fix," added Holman.
With help from the state's competitive 'Building Excellent Schools Today (BEST)' grant of $3.8 million, the school will be able to get the $7 million project started.
"Parents are very aware that it gets hot in the building. I think that covid brought out the actual air quality pieces of it that we were not as aware of prior to covid, but parents being in the building for performances and stuff, the building gets warm and that was absolutely a concern for them," said Holman.
Installation of proper ventilation has also been a safety concern. Andy Brooks, Maintenance Director for the district believes change came at the right time.
"The only way we can change the air quality right now is to open the doors and windows and after what we saw in Uvalde and other areas, we know that we don't want to have doors and windows open," said Brooks.
The school hopes the new HVAC system will help improve the health and safety of students and staff.
The $7 million dollar project will be completed without local taxpayer funds.
Full construction will take place when school is out of session and is set to be completed by the fall of 2023.
