Lakeview school complex is dedicated

CORTLAND -- After three years of planning and construction, the Lakeview Local School District now has a new state-of-the-art school complex that was officially opened to the public Friday.

School administrators, staff and students were joined by community members for a dedication ceremony, ribbon cutting and open house to showcase the $28 million K-8 School.

The public also can tour the two-story building, 640 Wakefield Drive, 10 a.m. to noon today.

Last week, the school opened its doors to the 1,100 students in preschool to eighth grade who will attend classes in the building. One section is for grades kindergarten to fourth and the other fifth to eighth.

"This is a special occasion that happens only once over every other generation -- to put a new school into operation. With this new building, Lakeview looks to have a very bright future. The taxpayers of the community have helped make an investment for the future," Lakeview Board of Education President Larry Sherer said

He said the district has gone from one-room schools, then centralized schools and now the larger second generation of schools for Lakeview.

"This is an historical moment in Lakeview's history with the construction and dedication of this building," said 20-year board member Donna Zuga, who graduated from Lakeview.

Beverly Hoagland, a former board member and daughter of former Lakeview school superintendent William Roush, said, "The district has had strong school leadership, excellent teachers and staff, and hardworking and dedicated students and loyal community members who have made Lakeview what it is today."

Superintendent Robert Wilson said the school is unique with four acres of roof over the building, 4,500 cubic yards of concrete, 162,000 bricks and 300 tons of steel.

"It is a tremendous building because it is so different. This has been a combination of cooperation from so many to make this day possible," said Wilson, standing in the large cafeteria decorated with an "L" logo and an old brass school bell.

He said the elementary school, built in 1927, will be demolished. The middle school, built in the late 1970s, was already demolished to make room for the new school complex.

Robert McAuliffe, project manager with Hammond Construction, which built the school, presented a large key to Wilson as part of the dedication.

Touring the building was Anthony Larson, fifth grade, who said he likes the larger classrooms and school gymnasium while his younger brother, third-grader Nicholas Larson, said he likes the large playground.

"I am proud the community was able to provide this to the students," said Kathy Ferris of Cortland as she was walking through the seventh-and-eighth-grade wing.

"I went to school in Lakeview. This school is amazing," said Jeff Byler of Cortland, who stopped to look at the cafeteria where his wife, Brenda Byler, works.

bcoupland@tribtoday.com