Bath Middle School demolition begins
After sitting vacant for over five years, the abandoned Bath Middle School has finally begun demolition. On Monday, July 15, the construction company was seen setting up protective barriers in preparation for the project.
When asked if there was a timeline for completing the work, District of Carleton North Mayor Andrew Harvey told the River Valley Sun that, to date, they have not received any estimates on how long demolition should take.
“We’ve asked to have a meeting with the contractor, but that hasn’t happened yet,” said Harvey. “We’re certainly hoping it’s done by the end of August for when kids go back to school. We don’t want them having to go through a construction zone.”
The property, which the provincial government owns, has been vacant since February 2019, when the province abandoned its plans to renovate the school.
Harvey said the school had become unsightly and dangerous, especially given its proximity to Bath Elementary School. Anglophone School District West officials asked the Department of Education to repair the building or tear it down. The province chose to tear it down and released a tender for the project in June of this year. Bennett Construction Group of Millgrove, O.N., was awarded the contract.
When asked about the property’s future, Harvey said there are no official or immediate plans for the lot.