Coventry committee hears progress reports on high school gym, science labs, sewer hookup and Western well

Coventry School Building Committee members heard detailed progress updates on multiple bond-funded projects at Coventry High School and related infrastructure on [date not specified], including gym demolition work, science-lab renovations, a planned sewer hookup and a potential EPA-funded Western well grant.

The status report came as the committee prepares summer construction schedules and finalizes bids and permits tied to the town’s $25,000,000 bond. Committee members emphasized tight timelines for work that must be completed before the school year begins and noted rising costs have strained original budgets.

Don Coward, speaking for the committee’s project leads, said the gym demolition is under way and that district staff removed salvageable equipment before the demo team began work. “Our Coventry staff went in and took down all the banners, all the padding, our cameras, anything that was valuable that we wanted out of the gym,” Coward said. Committee members reported the contractor removed bleachers and began lifting the floor; the next phase will include work on rafters, painting and installation of new flooring and bleachers.

The gym and several other projects are funded in part through an Equity Initiative grant. “A big portion, about 2 thirds of that, is being paid for by the state, and then we're paying the difference through…