The Yukon government unveiled a sign today announcing the beginning of construction work on the new, $52.5-million, F.H. Collins Seconary School.

Although the shovels won't hit the dirt until next spring, Premier Darrell Pasloski and Education Minister Patrick Rouble dug a ceremonious hole this morning on the lawn outside the Lewes Boulevard school to assure Yukon residents work is underway.

Jessie Dawson, a councillor for the Kwanlin Dun First Nation, was the first to speak at this morning's event.

She said that although First Nations education systems, for the most part, have been lacking, it is time for transition. The new school is a step in the right direction.

Pasloski said this morning marks the first step in the school's retirement. It opened in 1963.

"There's a alot of treasured memories in these halls for many Yukoners,” he said. "But after such a long service, this building is tired.”

Canyon City Contractors, a corporation owned by the Kwanlin Dun, will begin site preparation work this fall. That means making sure things like water lines and other underground work are in order before construction in the spring begins.

Rouble explained that construction has been delayed because of the massive size of the project.

"If we're going to spend $50 million on a project, we have to ensure we're going to do it right,” said the minister, who isn't seeking re-election this fall.

Rouble said the government took its time with identifying the best kind of education programming for the new school, as well as figuring out how to build the structure in the most "efficient” and "effective” way.

Figuring out whether the school should use geothermal heat or not has also slowed the process, explained Rouble.

And the question is still up in the air.

"The geothermal project is an important tool to look at,” said Rouble. "But we're still doing the math on that one.

"The trigger for the geothermal project was the volume of water. That's going to take an executive committee YESAB (Yukon Environmental Socio-economic Assessment Board) review, which is taking longer than expected.”

On Tuesday, two Liberal election candidates criticized the speed with which the project is proceeding.

Rouble said it's the planning committee's intention to persue geothermal if "it makes sense.”

An analysis of current energy costs at the school, conducted by a member of the advisory committee last year, determined that a geothermal system in the new facility would pay for itself in 7 1/2 years.

But, with or without geothermal heating, the building's design will meet the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards.

Last November, the Star reported that $3.3 million would be dedicated to just the planning stage of the project.

In 2007, the government conducted a study for $70,000 to determine whether renovations on the 50-year-old school or starting from scratch was the way to go. The report recommended further investigation.

A year later, a Vancouver-based consultant group concluded that the school is not in good enough shape to repair.

As plans stand now, the old school will be demolished and a new facility will be built on property overlapping the existing school.

The new school will include the existing building's trades wing and, if all goes as planned, will be ready for students to move into in the fall of 2013.

The school, though, will operate without a gym for 18 months.

"I'm sure we will come up with appropriate and creative solutions to address that,” said Rouble.

Programming may focus more on outdoor education, or use the facilities at the Canada Games Centre or Yukon College when necessary.

As for how hundreds of high school students are going to stay out of the way of a massive, multi-year construction project, Rouble explained that it's going to be done "very carefully.”

The construction site, he continued, will be very secure.

The YESAB is still in the midst of the school replacement evaluation, which it received in the middle of May.

Public comments will be accepted until Sept. 6.

By Nadine Sander-Green

Star Reporter