This past Thursday, yesterday, Students teachers and parents of Lupelele Elementary School in Iliili, celebrated the dedication of their new school gym.
It’s one of four elementary schools which have been approved for gyms funded by Capital Improvement Project funding from the US Department of Interior in the current fiscal year. The others are Matafao, Coleman Elementary and Manulele Elementary.
In his remarks at the dedication ceremony, Lt. Governor Talauega Eleasalo Ale, noted that major buildings such as the Lupelele gym are becoming common on the island. He observed that the government likes to build new buildings but doesn’t keep up with maintenance.
He said, it’s up to the government to provide maintenance for government buildings such as this; it’s also the responsibility of the Department of Education and the schools to ensure the buildings last for a long time.
The Lt. Governor added, that its Governor Lemanu’s wish for all schools to have gyms.
The New gym was built by Happy Tucking owned by Lealofi Fuatagavi and the total cost including changeorders is $668,158.
Director of Public Works Faleosina Voigt said the contract term was 6 months, however the completion was delayed because of shipping and supply shortages caused by the COVID pandemic.
