After an earlier bond proposal failed two years ago, voters in Mesa County have overwhelmingly approved a measure calling for the building of a new high school in Grand Junction.
The existing two-story structure, located at 1400 N. 5th Street, was built in 1955 and has long needed repairs, with cracked interior walls, uneven floors, and both cooling and heating issues.
An additional concern: the building’s lack of a modern security system.
After an extensive public information campaign, officials with the Mesa County Valley School District 51 learned the news: some 65% of county voters cast ballots approving a bond funding a new building.
The $115 million bond will be combined with funding the district earlier received from Colorado’s Building Excellent Schools Today program.
An additional $19.5 million will come out of funds originally approved in a 2017 bond vote.
If all goes as planned, work on the new high school is expected to begin early next year, with a general completion date of late 2024.
By Garry Boulard
