A topping out ceremony to mark progress on the new Portobello High School has taken place.
After many years of planning, and obstacles along the way, construction work started on the new school in October 2014 and is due to be completed next summer.
The guest of honour at the recent ceremony was retiring Portobello High School Head Teacher Peigi Macarthur who was unaware she was laying the last piece of concrete until she arrived. She was joined by the City of Edinburgh Council’s Education Convener, Councillor Paul Godzik, and Balfour Beatty Regional Managing Director for Eastern Scotland Hector Macaulay.
The new school will become the council’s largest secondary school and will feature both indoor and outdoor sports facilities, including a swimming pool and two all weather pitches. The local community will also benefit from the new facilities, which will be open for community use outside school hours.
Councillor Godzik said, “What we’ve seen as architectural images are now coming to life and already it is clear this is going to be a fantastic state of the art building. Rebuilding Portobello High School is one of the Capital Coalition’s highest priorities and we were determined to ensure we met this commitment. The building is on schedule and I look forward to seeing the new school which will open its doors to pupils in summer 2016.”
Hector MacAulay, Balfour Beatty Regional Managing Director for Eastern Scotland, added, “Portobello High School is going to provide a state of the art learning platform for future generations in the city and it is great to see some of the current students here to mark this milestone as we reach the highest point in the construction of this fantastic new facility.”
The new school was given the go ahead after the City of Edinburgh Council successfully took a private bill through the Scottish Parliament which changed the status of Portobello Park allowing it to be appropriated for educational purposes.
