“For many people in the greater Summerside area, this project has been years in the making,” said Premier Binns. “The people who have been involved with this project should be commended for their efforts in producing a state-of-the-art facility that will serve the community for many years to come. Government is proud to have completed phase two of this capital construction project.”

The school has many new features including a new cafeteria, gymnasium, music room, woods shop, applied technology, boiler room, separate bus lane and entrance, south stairwell, staff lounge, and six additional classrooms. In addition, many facility improvements were made such as a newly renovated lobby, office space, library, two computer labs, students services and conference rooms, teacher planning centres and a science lab for each grade level. Prior to the interior renovations, the existing building was restored by waterproofing the foundation and repairing the siding, insulation, windows, and roof.

“With the new addition and facility improvements, we have a safe, comfortable and healthy environment for teaching and learning,” said Minister Dover. “It is evident that with the collaborative insight of parents, teachers and officials we can make a great school an even better school.”

“We have gone from three buildings to one,” said Principal Glenn Edison. “With the completion of this project, we have a facility that will serve this community well for many years to come. This project has been a true partnership between government and community and we are very pleased with the results.”

Summerside Intermediate School has an enrolment of 626 students. The school serves most of the greater Summerside area for English programming and all of East Prince for intermediate French Immersion.

Western School Board Chair Gary Doucette said the new facilities will be a tremendous asset to the education of English students in the Summerside area and to the French Immersion students of East Prince. “It is truly a benefit to these students to continue their education in a school for the 21st century,” Doucette added.

W. D. Lawrence Architecture provided the architectural design services for the capital improvement project. The work was contracted to Fitzgerald and Snow, and the electrical and mechanical work was sub-contracted to Olympia Electric and Sayers & Associates. Construction began in the spring of 2003. Schurmans was contracted for the work that was done during the first phase of construction at Summerside Intermediate School in 2001.

The Summerside project is part of the provincial government’s $60 million multi-year capital improvement plan to enhance the infrastructure of 10 Island schools and provide for the ongoing maintenance of all schools in PEI.