Voters approved a $37 million Columbia Falls school bond Tuesday with unofficial results showing the request passed by 97 votes with a 41% turn out rate.
Columbia Falls School Board member Jill Rocksund says plans for school construction have already begun and now both Ruder and Glacier Gateway elementary schools will get much needed updates.
"Glacier Gateway will be building a new school and that will be for approximately $24 million. And that hopefully -- with the new building, we won't have concerns with the heating and pipes and all of that because that will be the new construction," Rocksund said.
"And over Ruder Elementary we will be adding some space there, classrooms, a new lunch room and a multi purpose type area," she added.
Rocksund told MTN News that the new Glacier Gateway will be built on the old playground behind the current district administration building. Students will remain in the old building until construction is complete.
The board will finalize the construction plans at an Oct. 28 meeting. Rocksund says the district hopes to have all construction complete by the start of school in 2021.
