RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — The playground at William Fox Elementary in Richmond, which remained open even after the school itself burned down, is now closed to the public — and that’s a good sign.
The closure comes as the construction site has expanded, and now poses a risk to nearby people. The playground won’t re-open until roof installation is complete — something superintendent Jason Kamras initially could not provide a timeline for.
Photos of the work in progress show extensive scaffolding and covered windows on a wing of the school.
Additionally, during a Richmond School board meeting on Monday, May 1, Kamras said he expected that roof trusses would be going up at the school sometime within May.
The school division has already begun replacing damaged concrete beams in the school’s auditorium and improving masonry that was damaged on the perimeter walls. Still, Richmond is awaiting the outcome of a grant application to the Virginia Department of Education, which will likely be decided at a state board meeting in June.
Kamras also announced that he had met with the school division’s insurance company last week about additional repair plans for Fox Elementary. While the specifics of this meeting were discussed during closed session, Kamras promised to share details with the public as soon as possible.
The City has increasingly put support — and funding — behind the school’s reconstruction since it caught fire in February 2022. This March, Mayor Levar Stoney included $15 million in funding to help restore the Fox Elementary in his most recent budget. This came after the General Assembly rejected a bill to give the project $15 million earlier this year.
