Construction of a new gym and fitness facility has officially started at W.C. Miller Collegiate in Altona.

An official with Border Land School Division says the first pile was drilled Wednesday morning, just five days after a sod turning ceremony took place.

The new 12,918 square foot gym will be built on the south side of the school and will be roughly two-and-a-half times the size of the current 4,800 sq. ft. facility that carries an 18 ft. ceiling height. Plans include 6,500 square feet of new gymnasium space with a 24 ft. high ceiling plus 1,000 sq. ft. of adjacent gym space, additional change rooms, storage, office space and a 1,000 sq. ft. fitness room. There will also be a link built to connect the new facility to the school.

WBS Construction won the project tender, submitting a construction bid of just over $5.9 million, well under the budgeted $6.5 million. It also committed to the shortest timeline at forty weeks.  

Public Schools Finance Board (Province of Manitoba) will cover $4.5 million of the total price tag, with Border Land School Division chipping in the remainder of the cost up to $2 million.