New Granby Elementary School and other East Grand construction projects near completion

There have been some delays in the construction of the new Granby Elementary School, which was originally scheduled to be completed in late 2023, but the new school is almost complete and expected to open this fall. Other projects scheduled for completion this fall include two athletic fields and other improvements.

The East Grand School District has previously said the current Granby Elementary School has reached capacity and the new building will provide more space for students and staff as the county continues to grow.

In the new elementary school, kindergarten through fifth grade, there will be four classrooms per grade level, while the preschool will have three. The two-story building provides space for future growth. The school will also have two playgrounds, one for preschool students and another for primary school students.

In 2021, voters passed a tax question that approved an $85 million bond measure. The bond measure raised taxes by up to $7.1 million a year for the next 20 years. That equates to $44.48 more in taxes per year per $100,000 of residential property value, while commercial properties paid $180.42 more per $100,000 of value. The bond money was spent on various capital projects in the East Grand School District.

East Grand School District Superintendent Brad Ray said that in addition to the bond measure, the school district was awarded three highly competitive Building Excellent Schools Today (BEST) grants. from the Colorado Department of Education to expand bond dollars even further.

The bond not only funded the new elementary school, but is also being used for safety, security and improvements consistent with the American with Disabilities Act. Some projects include additional renovations at Middle Park High School, East Grand Middle School and the new high school career center building.

“The East Grand School District is grateful to the community for supporting the bond in 2021 to address urgent capital project needs,” Ray said. “This support was critical to maintaining our educational facilities to provide modern education in a safe and secure environment for every student within our district boundaries and into the future.” »

Two sports fields will also be replaced by grass fields. Ray said the turf fields will be used for multiple sports and will save the school's maintenance department water and time. These fields are expected to be completed by this fall, with some site work planned for next summer.

“We look forward to inviting the community to tour the new and improved school facilities during the upcoming open house and ribbon-cutting celebrations,” Ray said.