A broken water pipe in the Wesley-Rankin Community Center in Dallas, TX sent water flooding through the ceiling and walls, closing down a federally funded Head Start program as well as an administrative building following the recent February ice storm. While there is no current financial estimate of the water damage, the center’s director of development, Sarah Squires, said it was “substantial”.
The Center’s administrative offices were closed and the Head Start program was relocated following the flooding, which occurred late last week. The school lost office furniture and equipment, books and computers, with damages to contents alone estimated at nearly $100,000.
Part of the problem, says executive Director Gayla Naves, is that with preschools, everything is low to the ground and as such, much more susceptible to even minimal flood waters. “So we’ve lost everything. Unfortunately the water main broke over our supply closet. All of the curriculum is gone. And to a school, that’s one of the most precious resources.”
The school and center were closed at the time the pipe burst, but a passerby noticed the water coming out from under the door and called authorities. Apparently a pipe to the hot water heater broke after a door to the utility area on the roof blew open during the recent ice storm, exposing the piping to bitterly cold temperatures for an extended period.
Squires said that they hope to have the building, which also houses food programs and senior citizen activities, will reopen by the beginning of June. The Wesley-Rankin center is an outreach ministry associated with the United Methodist Church that has been serving West Dallas for more than 75 years. “We’re not going to let a little water slow us down,” Squires said.
Repairs may be complicated by the fact that the 23 year old building may require significant work to bring it up to current building codes.
No comments:
Post a Comment