A new agriculture building is under construction in the lot across the street from the north entrance of the school.

The 14,000 sq. ft. building will include three classrooms, an office for the teachers to share and a shop. The project is set to be finished in August before the 2014-2015 school year.

“This is really going to give us the opportunity to spread kids out a little more,” agriculture teacher Jeff Klose said. “Right now, we are really cramped in this classroom and in the shop. It will give us a better chance to be more competitive because we will have more space to help kids get better at what they do.”

Klose said that after the soil tests were done and all the information was gathered, the best location to construct the building was across the street.

“We will have some issues with students having to go through a parking lot and cross a street,” Klose said. “But, I think it’s a much easier problem to deal with than being behind the practice fields, which is a seven-minute walk. I wish we could be over here with everyone else, but if that’s where we have to be, we are going to be really excited for that new building.”

The building is basic with no greenhouse, Klose said, but he is hoping to have one in the future.

“There’s a greenhouse over at Reeves-Hinger Elementary that we are going to try to move over here,” Klose said. “We are actually working with West Texas A&M University right now to start a community garden in Canyon. It won’t be located at the ag building, but it will be somewhere around there.”

Klose said he would like to thank all the administration, the school board and the community.

“Since the building has started, we have had people come up and say that they want to donate money to projects like our tractor restoration project,” Klose said. “Western Equipment came in and said that they wanted to donate a new set of tools for the Ag mechanics shop next year. It’s been really cool to see the community jump on board.”