Emergency roof repairs to the O'Maley Middle School have been completed and the school is ready to reopen Monday, Mayor Carolyn Kirk says — that is, of course, unless the weekend snowstorm poses other obstacles to Monday's scheduled reopening of all the city schools.
Kirk said that, under the direction of Brian Tarr, the school district's assistant superintendent in charge of operations, some two dozen roofers worked throughout the day Thursday — New Year's Day — to repair damage that occurred Tuesday when wind gusts of 40 mph or more tore the membrane covering off a portion of the O'Maley roof between the auditorium and the Dorothy Talbot Rink.
The work had been scheduled to start Thursday, but was pushed back due to the New Year's Eve snowstorm. The current storm also would have blocked crews from effectively working on the roof, but Kirk said she's been assured that a new membrane covering for the roof is in place, and that the school is ready to reopen.
"If we don't have school at O'Maley Monday, it will not be because of the roof," Kirk said in a phone interview — while also in the midst of a snow emergency and street parking ban.
Joe Iaccarino, foreman for Leominster-based Rockwell Roofing, the company contracted to replace the membrane covering, and city Building Inspector Bill Sanborn had both described Tuesday's school roof incident as unusual, but hardly unheard of. Sanborn said that about half the covering was blown off and over the corner of the roof.
School Superintendent Christopher Farmer indicated earlier that the school's insurance policy is expected to cover the damage and the cost of the replacement.
The damage to the roof — on a day of single-digit temperatures as well as bone-chilling, gusting winds — forced the closure of the school and a temporary shutdown of the rink, though officials were able to reopen that facility by 2 p.m. the next day.
The incident came while students and most school personnel were in the midst of a two-week, year-end holiday vacation.
We will update this story here at gloucestertimes.com if more information becomes available, or if there are any changes in plans for Monday's school reopenings.
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