The safety of pupils at a local Eindhoven school is at stake. This is because major renovations cannot be started on a section of Lorentz Casimir Lyceum. This is according to the school’s principal, Jessica Baart.
According to the school, the blame for this delay lies with the Municipality. Rising construction costs mean that the job has become more expensive. “It now costs 25% more. The Council does not want to pay for this since they are in financial straits”, says Baart.
Bad state
This renovation has been years in the making. The school, which is situated in Celebeslaan is in a sorry state. This bad state means there is a lot that needs to be done. A new building and new main entrance is needed. The two main buildings, Lorentz and Casimir, must be renovated. The school’s insulation and inside temperature are also below par. “It is too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter”, says Baart. According to her, the classrooms are also too small.
School is ‘done with it’
Last year, the school and the City Council reached an agreement. This was after difficult, drawn-out discussions. Lorentz would be renovated at the cost of EUR9,3 million. This was considerably less than the EUR17 million the school initially had in mind. Baart: “We said then that we would deal with everything is a less expensive, more efficient way. All the plans are now ready. We are eager to begin, and now the Municipality is backtracking because the construction costs have increased. I am completely done with it.”
Responsibility
The Council has a responsibility to ensure that primary and secondary schools in Eindhoven are well housed. Plans were put in place with all the schools years ago. Then, together, it was looked into the urgency and cost of construction work. The implementation of these plans, is, however, faltering. Other schools are also raising the alarm. They are reporting that it is taking too long before construction begins. This delay is why Christiaan Huygens Lyceum has now temporarily moved to Sint Lucas’ old building.
Source: Studio040
Translator: Melinda
