A major addition to the Savanna School gymnasium has been made possible thanks to a very generous donation from Saddle Hills County. Co-Principal Chris Young presented to Saddle Hills County Council on February 14, 2023 and requested capital support for a new rock climbing wall; the County agreed to donate the total requested amount of $50,000.
Mr. Young says this project began when he saw an ad for a climbing instructor course. “It got me thinking about what it would take to have our own wall at the school, so I presented the idea to our staff hoping for a volunteer to complete the training and Mrs. Starleigh Earl stepped up.” With the help of a bursary that covered the full cost of her training, Mrs. Earl logged the required hours and is now a fully licensed instructor.
Once built, the rock climbing wall will be located on the south wall of the school gym. Construction is scheduled for this summer and a grand unveiling is anticipated to take place in September 2023. “I’m always looking for ways to increase community pride in our school. I want our students to feel lucky to live here and attend Savanna School, so I’m really excited to get our own rock climbing wall,” says Mr. Young.
Savanna School staff and students are extremely grateful for the financial support from Saddle Hills County, the training bursary from Obair Economic Society of Dawson Creek, BC, and the engineering expertise from SPA Engineering that will ensure the wall is built to hold the hanging weight of climbers.