Architect: Wood Canyon Needs $7.2 Mil in Upgrades

Wood Canyon Elementary is facing $7.2 million worth of needs, according to an architect hired by the Capistrano Unified School District.

However, more than half of that, $3.9 million, would be spent on replacing half of the portable classrooms with permanent buildings. Nearly $1.1 more would go to postponed maintenance and routine repairs, such as repairing the roofing and heating systems and upgrades to the fire alarm and phones.

The Capistrano Unified School District commissioned an intense study of all of its facilities in 2009. The report was created in 2009 and has recently been updated for 2013 pricing. The district is facing $822 million worth of needs and only has about $44 million on hand to address them.

The updated total also includes $684,000 for upgraded technology for students.

On the other hand, Wood Canyon is one of only six Capo Unified campuses which meet California capacity laws for essential facilities, such as classrooms, toilets, drinking fountains, parking, library and administrative space.

Below is an easier-to-read legend for the photo above. New construction, which originally included replacing all the portables, is in peach, remodels in yellow. 

1.    New parking lot (17 stalls)

2.    New Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant access

3.    Play area relocated

4.    New play surface

5.    New play equipment

6.    New staff parking (29 stalls)

7.    New, two-story building (14 classrooms)

8.    Acoustical separation

9.    Replace wood flooring with concrete

10.  New concrete walkway

11.  Fire truck turn-around

12.  New toilets

Find out the needs at other nearby schools:

• Aliso Niguel High School
• Aliso Viejo Middle School
• Canyon Vista Elementary
• Don Juan Avila Middle and Elementary schools
• Oak Grove Elementary