As of Oct. 28, plans have begun for the demolition of the Auto Shop and previous Financial Aid room in the 1200s. The motive for the demolition is to construct a new building that will house a new Auto Shop, Bonita Vista Television (BVTV) and Sports Medicine classes. BVH Principal Lee Romero expands on the timeline for the construction.
“[The construction company] was hoping to start at the end of October. Now, they are hoping to start around November or December, when the Auto Shop building will be completely demolished,” Romero said.
As the Auto Shop building is to be demolished in the next couple of weeks, it may be a concern to some, regarding the noise, as heavy machinery comes in and breaks down the entire building. However, Romero is confident that no students nor staff will suffer through the noise.
“The construction company planned [ahead] so the loud [procedures] would not happen during school hours. They would work at night, during the weekends, or during [Thanksgiving or Winter] break. Once demolished, moving [scraps] out and starting the rebuilding, [the construction company] will keep in mind whether or not there is school [before they start working],” Romero said.
The only issue, as Romero explains, is the possible effect on P.E. classes come December, as the site is closed off for demolition and construction. With the P.E. teachers having to organize their classes as construction and parts of the P.E. areas are closed off to students. Romero explains that to his knowledge, none of the staff on campus oppose the construction and closing of parts of campus.
“No one has complained and [the site is] so far away from all of the ‘academic’ classes. The P.E. department is very supportive and they are excited about the new building,” Romero said.
The new building will also include a new and improved room specialized for BVTV. BVTV Advisor and Multimedia teacher, Hugo Martinez, who also worked with the planning of the new building, explains how impactful the new renovations will be and how its process will be different from just regular classrooms being built on campus.
“The cool thing about what we are going to be experiencing here in BVH, is that this building is being constructed around a program that has been developed. That is very different. It is not like they are going to create this building and then figure it out. We already have a robust program and now we are going to be able to take it to the next level,” Martinez said.
The funding to make these renovations on campus is due to the $22 million bond that BVH received last school year from SUHSD. Romero explains that further work on campus can be done if Measure RR passes as election day comes on November 4, as if the measure is passed, $637 million would be allocated to schools within the district to renovate and construct school campuses. SUHSD Superintendent Moises Aguirre in an email sent out, explains what Measure RR is, and the ways it benefits schools.
“[It will] renovate, or construct, classrooms, libraries, cafeterias, outdoor common areas, administration and counseling centers. [Additionally, it will improve] P.E. locker rooms, multi-purpose fields, gymnasiums, dance and weight rooms, as well as repair and upgrade classrooms for science, engineering and career training,” Aguirre said.
