Humboldt's brand new high school had a river running through it a couple of weeks ago.
According to Humboldt Collegiate Institute (HCI) principal Cory Popoff, sometime early in the morning two weeks ago, clean water rushed through the new school building from a valve near the art room, which is near where the school connects to the Uniplex building.
By the time caretakers arrived at the school later that morning, there was "a significant amount of water in the building," Popoff said, extending all the way from the art room, down to the fitness centre closer to the Uniplex, across the gathering area inside the school's main doors, and even into the library and gym.
The valve has now been repaired, but they are still dealing with the damage caused by the flood.
Though it was fresh water, the moisture did cause damage in terms of moisture in the walls and insulation, millwork, and rugs, Popoff noted.
At this point, they are unsure whether the gym floor was damaged, though water did get into that area.
"We're removing water from it. Time will tell if it's damaged," Popoff noted.
All in all, the school is drying out nicely, Popoff reported.
An emergency service has come in, and is using their expertise and equipment to dry out areas that were flooded.
While the tile in the hallways and main gathering space was undamaged by the water, the rugs that were soaked will likely need replacing, and work is being done to replace drywall and insulation that was wet.
The library had between a half-inch and three-quarters of an inch of water on the floor, Popoff explained, and it wicked up into the millwork - the bottom shelves of the stacks, and into some of the lower portions of the computer work stations.
Luckily, those parts can be replaced without replacing whole units, and no technology was affected by the water.
"Everything works," Popoff smiled.
Popoff said the school has had great support from both Horizon School Division and Greater Saskatoon Catholic School Division, both of which are involved in running the school, in dealing with this flood.
"They have made the process so much easier in terms of getting things ready for students," he stated.
With the exception of the gym, everything should be ship-shape by the time students come back to school on September 4.
"Everything is expected to be cleaned up and put back together by the time the students get back," he said.
The gym is the only thing that may not be ready for student use at that time.
Because of that, they may have to find alternative ways to deliver the physical education program at the start of the school year, Popoff said, but if it can be salvaged by not using it in those first days of the school year, it will save them from not using the facility for months while the floor is replaced.
