Ground Breaks For New Havre de Grace School

HAVRE DE GRACE, MD — A ceremonial groundbreaking on Lewis Lane in Havre de Grace Thursday was the culmination of years of work. Citizens began campaigning for a new high school more than five years ago, creating buttons with the rallying cry "It's our turn"; giving tours to elected officials of the aging structures to which students had to adapt; and retooling original plans that called for just a high school in order to obtain state funding.

Harford County Public Schools officials and city leaders dug their shovels in the ground Thursday afternoon to signify the earth was finally moving so that children in the city would have a new school.

In fact, it will have two.

Havre de Grace Middle School Principal James Johnson told ABC 2 News that his school was "not built for today's kids" and did not have enough space for them to move around.

The middle school was reportedly constructed in 1967, and the high school was built in 1955.

"It was an amazing centerpiece in our community," Havre de Grace Mayor Bill Martin told ABC 2 News of the nearby Havre de Grace High School. "The school served us well."

That is, until it didn't.

The high school became outdated to the point that officials said safety was compromised.

The Havre de Grace police chief testified in 2012 that the current design of Havre de Grace High School made it "very difficult to ensure children's safety," Patch previously reported. The chief noted that Havre de Grace was the only school with a city road and public sidewalks running through campus.

Authorities cited "safety, security and administrative challenges" as reasons to move away from the current two-building campus bisected by Congress Avenue. In 2012 the former superintendent recommended replacing Havre de Grace High School. Nearly six years later, the gears are turning.

• Community Continues "It's Our Turn" Push
• Havre de Grace Makes Arguments For New School
• HdG Middle High School Brings State, Local Leaders Together

Local officials celebrated the start of the construction project Thursday at 1 p.m. at Havre de Grace Middle School at 401 Lewis Lane.

The new school will likely not be complete until 2020. The replacement school is funded by the state and county.

Pictured at the groundbreaking are Harford County Public Schools Superintendent Canavan, school board members and Havre de Grace Middle and High School principals, Mr. Reynolds and Mr. Johnson. Photo courtesy of Harford County Public Schools.