Unfinished School Vandalized Again Damage To Woodland Middle School Estimated At More Than $18,000
Vandals have caused more than $18,000 in damage to the Woodland Middle School construction site since building began a year ago, according to police reports.
Most recently, workers arrived at the school near Kathleen Avenue and Atlas Road on Monday to find black roofing compound smeared into the shape of a heart and initials on an outside wall, said Don Seely, job superintendent for Leone and Keeble Construction.
There have been at least nine incidents of vandalism since July 1997 at the 100,000-square-foot school, which is scheduled to open this fall.
“It usually isn’t this bad,” Seely said. “I don’t know if it’s because of it being a school. In a year, you might have one case of someone breaking in or taking something. But this has happened several times.”
Last week, someone squirted silicone caulking compound into 41 locks on the outside doors. All of the locks will have to be replaced, at an estimated cost of $2,400.
The costliest incident happened late last year when someone poured concrete into a newly drilled well at the school, according to police. It will cost about $10,000 to redrill the well.
Floor tiles were scuffed after someone drove a fork lift over them, a small fire scorched sprinkler pipes in the gym, an $1,800 fiberglass shower stall was destroyed after someone climbed on it, about $4,000 in tools were stolen, 100 custom-cut cinder blocks were damaged after someone dropped them on the gymnasium floor and six fluorescent lights were broken, according to police reports.
None of the crimes has been solved.
Insurance has covered most of the damage, and the vandalism has not slowed the school’s construction, said Steve Briggs, business manager for the Coeur d’Alene School District.
Briggs said it is the construction company’s responsibility to keep the school safe until the district takes possession of it next month.
Bryan Martin, the district’s maintenance manager, said he does not expect the vandalism to be a continual problem.
“Our problem with vandalism is really low,” Martin said. “People are curious and kids are hanging out. After the newness wears off, it will die down.”
Seely suspects kids have committed most, but not all, of the damage. The concrete-filled well, for example, was most likely done by adults, he said.
“We still have a couple more months before it opens,” Seely said. “There’s still a lot of time for them to do something. It would be kind of nice to catch these kids.”
STILL GOING Insurance has covered most of the damage, and the vandalism has not slowed the school’s construction.