Friends of East Wheatland moving forward

Manny Everett
Times Contributor

 

The East Wheatland School project has been moving forward one small step at a time and February brought them one step closer with a cheque donation from Encana for $50,000 on Feb. 26.
Darci-Jane McAuley (Manager, Community Relations for Encana) along with Luigi Vescarelli (Senior Community Relations Advisor for Encana) were pleased to present the cheque to students representing kindergarten to Grade 12 from all the communities that are involved in the new school coming into existence.
Vescarelli said, “Encana is in the process of drilling 200 wells in the Wheatland area. Encana is thrilled to be a part of the sustainability that takes in a number of the communities and that the sites for Encana are a strategic investment for them as they are operating in the heart of the East Wheatland area.”
“All the work by the volunteers of the communities is why we became involved,” said McAuley. “It is an exciting project that is looking into the futures of the kids … this is all about the kids.”
Golden Hills School Division Superintendent Bevan Daverne spoke on behalf of the school division.
“We are very appreciative of the donation from community dollars and the enhancement dollars that are a great asset to this project,” said Daverne.
He was happy to announce that the tender for the construction bids was chosen and that Delnor Construction would be heading up the project with hopes that the students will be standing in the new facility by fall of 2016.
Vescarelli told those gathered that the drilling of the wells has a low impact on the environment and communities as they set up for one day, drill for one day and take one day to dismantle. The longevity of the low flow gas wells is determined to be ten-plus years or more.
Delnor Construction is expected within the month to be on site and start the much-awaited project.