Those who loved Enota Elementary's Smartville Garden at the previous school building can take note of the progress occurring at the site of the new school building. With those plans moving forward, the school system is also working on ahead of Phase II of the fundraising for the project.
Chief Operating Officer Adrian Niles told the Gainesville City School Board Tuesday the garden was making progress, and should be finished on time, weather permitting. In addition, the school system is hoping to raise $50,000 for the rebuilding of the garden.
In his report, Niles detailed the updates the school system had made as of Tuesday, Jan. 22 and shared some photos with board members.
- Water tower was put in to place on January 16.
- 34 yards of concrete was poured into form to create sidewalks
- Rough-in of the irrigation system is complete, with the main piping and mainline connected to the existing irrigation meter.
- Three drains were added and two existing drains were raised.
- Varying heads and a controller will be installed next.
- Electrical conduit has been installed and hook-up will be completed once landscaping is finished.
- Trees were delivered Friday and will be installed next week.
- Rocks have been ordered.
- 15 loads of dirt brought in this week to raise the site to grade.
- Sod was installed, and trees and plants have been planted.
- Mulch and compost have been delivered for the playground and should be spread on Monday. The playground structure is complete otherwise.
- Basketball courts were started Tuesday and concrete was poured Monday.
"It's going very well. It's been cold these last couple days, but they've been able to get in and get some trees planted, get a lot of the dirt moving and some rocks in," said Superintendent Jeremy Williams after the meeting. "Give it about two more weeks and it's going to look great."
Niles said they also plan to put information about the fundraising efforts and progress online in the near future.
In 2017, school system officials decided to tear down the old Enota Multiple Intelligiences Academy on Enota Avenue in Gainesville and rebuild a bigger and better school. The Smartville Garden was a casualty of the demolition, but officials and volunteers vowed to rebuild the garden at the new school building.
The school reopened in 2018 after a year of construction and students sharing a school building with Centennial Arts Academy.
