For 83 years, the school building on South Vernal Avenue has served educational purposes in Uintah County but the life of the building is nearing its end. While no decisions have been made, the Uintah School Board met with VCBO Architecture during the board’s business meeting to explore architectural renderings for potential construction of a new building to house Central Cove Preschool. The District has invested time exploring possible options for Central Cove Preschool and the recommendation from administration is for new construction, possibly with a location near the USU Uintah Basin campus in Vernal. “The district plans to hold town hall meetings in the coming months to solicit public input about the preschool project,” shares Uintah School District. “A representative from Zions Bank Public Finance is scheduled to make a presentation to the school board at its March 8th meeting about the possible financial impact of spending an estimated $20 million from the district’s capital budget to build a new preschool. The district has the money in its capital fund to build the project. The building that houses Central Cove does not meet the current or future needs of students and staff,” continues the District. “The building was constructed in 1940 and was not originally designed for use as a preschool. It has far outlived its expected lifespan and has a host of issues one would expect to find in an 83-year-old building.” School districts are required by federal law to provide special education services for children ages 3 and up.
