Broward School Board approves funding to rebuild Rickards Middle School
From David Volz
The School Board of Broward County Public Schools voted Tuesday to approve funding to rebuild Rickards Middle School! Funding for construction was originally approved in 2022, but rising project costs led to a budget shortfall.
During its regular meeting on September 12th, the School Board approved additional funding that will allow the construction of a new multi-story school, gym, and locker room to proceed. Construction is expected to begin in the next few weeks.
The City of Oakland Park’s leaders have expressed thanks to the School Board for approving funding so the rebuilding of Rickards can proceed. The City leaders also thank those who participated in the meeting to share their input and members of the community who have supported the rebuilding of Rickards for the past few years. A special thanks to District 3 School Board Member Sarah Leonardi for her tireless efforts to shepherd this project along and advocate on behalf of the students. We also appreciate the support of Superintendent Dr. Peter B. Licata.
As the City moves toward the centennial in 2029, it continues to work diligently on its facilities and amenities to enhance the safety and well-being of the community. Extensive renovations are underway at Fire Rescue Station 87 at 2100 NW 39th Street. New doors on the truck bays have been installed and the old generator has been replaced with a temporary one. The contractor is reinforcing the roof and replacing the exterior doors and windows at the station. In the coming weeks, the contractor will work on an enclosure for the new station generator. A portion of funding for this project is coming from the City’s “Building our 2nd Century” bond program, which 67% of voters approved in 2018. The City also received two grants that will go towards improvements, including a hazard mitigation grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for $450,000 and a Community Development Block Grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for $383,744.
