Summer cafeteria renovation could mean fall food truck

Summer work on Newman-Crows Landing campuses will include major renovations to the Bonita School cafeteria and the Orestimba band room, as well as a new look for the Yolo Middle School campus.

The most expensive and complex summer project is the nearly $400,000 modernization to the cafeteria of Bonita School in Crows Landing.

That contract was awarded during a special board meeting last Thursday to ADA Construction of Rocklin.

Matt Vargas, the district’s director of maintenance and operations, said improvements to the nearly 50-year-old cafeteria will include the installation of air conditioning.

“We have talked for some time about adding air conditioning to that building. It only has a swamp cooler,” Vargas told the board. “It does have adequate heating, but it is very old.”

The project will include a new HVAC system, roof, windows and floors, as well as upgrades to the lighting and kitchen facilities.

A new fire alarm which will serve the entire campus is part of that project as well.

“We will have a brand new, voice activated fire alarm system,” Vargas explained, adding that the system can deliver customized messages to all areas of the campus tailored to specific emergency situations.

Asbestos removal will be required as part of the cafeteria renovation.

A specialized contractor will determine an appropriate plan of action for the asbestos removal, Vargas said. Regardless of whether that work will include sealing off the entire building, he emphasized, the asbestos abatement will not begin until students and staff are gone for the summer and will be completed before they return for the new school year.

The fire alarm upgrade will be finished in order for the school to open as scheduled Aug. 11, Vargas assured the board, but the cafeteria remodel will not be done until at least two weeks into the new school year - and possibly longer.

“There will be an impact. We could possibly have to go into September before we can use the building,” Vargas stated. “We do have a plan in place to serve students using our food truck.”