A temporary gym structure for F.H. Collins Secondary School students will be built, subject to a successful bid for the school reconstruction project, the Yukon government announced late this morning.

The structure will be available starting next fall, leaving students without a gym following their 2013 spring break, when demolition of the current space is set to begin.

"This means that after spring break and through the remainder of the school year, F.H. Collins students will follow the previously announced plan that combines access to other facilities in Riverdale and throughout the city and increased outdoor sports,” Education Minister Scott Kent said at a news conference.

The estimated cost of the facility was not released to avoid prejudicing the bids. The tender for the project is scheduled to close Jan. 24.

"We committed to a fiscally responsible solution, that's what we're delivering on,” said Val Royle, the deputy minister of Education.

The temporary structure is possible through a partnership between Education the Public Works department, Kent said.

Cynthia Tucker, Public Works' assistant deputy minister, said a few options are being considered for the structure following its tenure as a temporary gym.

The options include cold storage options or a heated facility for fleet trucks or road crews.

While serving as the school's gym, the steel structure will be both heated and insulated but won't have plumbing.

It will be located on the high school's lower soccer field and former softball diamond, in the corner closest to the parking lot.

The gym structure will be fenced off and the remainder of the area will still be used for construction layout, as was previously planned.

Use of the facility will be limited to F.H. students only, but Mayor Dan Curtis said he is confident city facilities can accommodate the needs of other user groups.

"I'm very comfortable and confident with the plan the territorial government has, particularly the Department of Education and the talented, capable people we have within the City of Whitehorse, that have been working on this from day one,” said Curtis.

"And I'm really comfortable that they will be able to facilitate all the user groups and of course, the reason we're here today is to facilitate the needs of the students of F.H. Collins and afford them the same opportunity that minister Kent and I had when we were going there as well.”

The issue of the F.H. Collins gym has received considerable attention since the Nov. 22 open house held on the reconstruction project.

On Dec. 4, 24 students from the school protested the loss of their gym for what would have been 2 1/2 years, at the legislature.

Royle said the protest and ensuing media coverage of the issue did not affect the department's decisions to move forward with plans for a temporary structure.

"When we went to Nov. 22, we were quite surprised by the concerns that parents had raised, because quite honestly, being new to the job, with the extensive work of the building advisory committee, we really felt that a lot of these issues had been dealt with. But obviously they hadn't,” she said.

"Parents presented a very compelling argument as to why a gym facility was needed on site ... that night, we made the decision that we would try to find a fiscally responsible solution, and we've been consistently saying that ever since.

"I appreciate people's right to petition, to protest, to write letters to the editor and do all those kinds of things. Our decision was made on Nov. 22 in response to parents' and students' concerns, and we've been working towards it ever since.”

Royle noted that within four weeks, officials have been able to find a solution and a partner.

The new school, budgeted at $55 million, will replace the current structure opened in 1963.

See letter to protesting students from teachers' association.