When the first construction workers broke ground in May, 2001 for the new senior secondary school, few would have dreamed that almost four years later construction on the school would still be ongoing ? and at least $30 million over budget.

With the hand-over deadline looming in five months time, yesterday took a private tour of the new Berkeley premises, under the watchful eye of some Education officials and the project managers.

The building itself is enormous and very modern with people currently working in almost every part ? more than 200 at any one time ? which is more than double the staff that the previous contractors, Pro-Active Management Systems Ltd., had working on the project.

There are six floors, or levels as they refer to them, with various zones.

We entered the building through the area everyone is worried about ? the design and technology area ? and while the room is still just an empty shell, only the tiles, walling and ceiling tiles still have to be fitted.

The construction manager for Works and Engineering assured the room itself will be complete by September. What is going to take more time is getting the equipment set up, he said.

But this area lies toward the back of the school and has its own entrance and access to the road, so even if equipment were being moved around it would not affect students.

We?re also told this area won?t be used as it is not part of the school?s curriculum just yet.

The only other part that is less complete than this is the gymnasium ? a large metal structure resembling the rib cage of a whale ? which is to the left of the main entrance of the school.

Project Manager Phillip Nearon was confident yesterday that the gymnasium would be completed before September ? even if workers had to work overtime, he said.

There is also the possibility of bringing in additional workers to complete the work on time ? a strong possibility given the looming deadline.

We enter the resource centre and library which is only missing insulation, carpets and the ceiling tiles. It has one of the most spectacular views of Bermuda.

The room is about 4,000 square feet in size and also includes offices for staff and a separate section which will be used for electronic media.

The heart of the school is a large upper courtyard.

The landscaping contract has been awarded to Horsfield Landscape and Design and work is set to start, in the near future, on not only this courtyard which is surrounded by classrooms, but also on the area surrounding the school.

?Come back in a few weeks and you won?t recognise the place,? Mr. Nearon said.

Zone B is the classroom block and also includes the most advanced area of the project ? art classes, video/photography rooms and a nutrition/cookery and textiles area.

There are also four teachers? ?prep areas? found around the school ? areas teachers use as office space as opposed to the two staff rooms.

CCTV is installed in all locker areas for safety and security ? these are already installed.

These cameras will be monitored from the administration area which will also provide office space to facility managers and where supplies for the school will be delivered ? which explains the service elevator.

There are four elevators throughout the school to cater for pupils in wheelchairs as well as wheelchair-friendly bathrooms and large, wide doors for easy access.

One of the two most notable areas in the school is the cafe/auditorium which combines an auditorium, complete with stage, cat-walks and professional sound and lighting facilities with a canteen where students can purchase food and sit to eat.

The auditorium has seating designed in such a way that it neatly rolls away and workers were in the process of installing these during our visit.

Chief architect Joseph Galea said this part of the building was designed so that it could also be used by the community.

It has its own entrances and is built some distance from the classrooms.

The other notable area is the amphitheatre above the winding staircase at the entrance to the building which will be used for student activities.

During our tour workers were tiling floors and putting up ceiling tiles and inner walls, but the majority of classrooms were complete as were the science labs.

The entrance to the school is spectacular with a winding staircase, glass windows on either sides and a high roof.

There is still some work to be done to this area.

I ask Mr. Nearon if all the equipment outside, including the mobile home offices and large piles of construction equipment will still be there in September.

?No, it will all be gone by then,? he assured us, but just above his head the metal cage-like-frame that is the gymnasium looms as a stark reminder of how much work still has to be done in five months.