Did New Westminster modular classrooms have working sprinklers before school opened in September?
That's the question senior administration and New Westminster school trustees were answering on Monday morning after a radio report intimated that the district did not have working sprinkler systems in the new all-day kindergarten modulars before the start of classes in September.
"There was not one day since the beginning of September that we had students in the modulars when the sprinklers weren't working," New Westminster school board chair Michael Ewen told The Record on Monday morning.
In a subsequent call to The Record on Monday afternoon, Ewen said building inspectors came to inspect the modulars in the district on Tuesday, Sept. 6, the opening day of classes, and confirmed that the fire alarm systems in the modulars were fully operational.
After that inspection was completed, the district received temporary occupancy permits on Sept. 6.
Ewen said he is aware of one modular in Queensborough that did not have its sewage line connected up, but that meant students had to go inside the school to use the bathroom. Ewen said the sprinkler systems inside that modular were not affected.
In addition, Ewen said there were "technical issues" with the modulars, but it was all about "paperwork that wasn't filed."
"We would never put student safety in jeopardy," said Ewen. "We had always had our sign-offs in place."
Ewen was also told by district staff that the district did have a portable at Connaught Heights that did not have a sprinkler system. But, Ewen added, that's not unusual because portables, unlike modulars, do not traditionally have plumbing systems in place.
Outgoing school trustee Brent Atkinson told The Record on Monday morning that trustees were assured in mid-September by their head of facilities, Doug Templeton, that the modulars were in 100 per cent working condition.
Atkinson said that while plumbing was one of the last things installed in the new modular classrooms, he believes the modulars passed their final inspection.
"I think this is a tempest in a teapot," said Atkinson, who decided earlier this month not to seek re-election after 31 years as a trustee. "If the city's chief inspector thought there was a deficiency in (the modulars), I'm sure they would have been in there."
Earlier this year, New Westminster received nine modulars, which were constructed by Shelter Industries in Aldergrove.
Brian Sommerfeldt, the district's secretary-treasurer, told The Record earlier this year where the modulars would be placed. Lord Tweedsmuir and Queen Elizabeth received two modulars each, Lord Kelvin and F.W. Howay got one each and Herbert Spencer received three modulars.
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