Tornado-Damaged CV Tech To Temporarily Move To Former Yukon Car Dealership

Canadian Valley Technology Center in El Reno, whose campus was severely damaged in the May 31 tornado, has tentatively reached an agreement to lease the former Yukon Chevrolet dealership.

The school will use the 93,000-square foot dealership for classroom space. The building, which sits at Vandament Avenue and Garth Brooks Boulevard, has been vacant since 2009.

Friday's EF-5 tornado destroyed or severely damaged all buildings on the El Reno campus. It will cost an estimated $30 million to rebuild and repair everything.

6/1/2013 Related Story: Storms Demolish Canadian Valley Tech Center

Canadian Valley Technology Center Superintendent Dr. Greg Winters says administrators don't know how long it will take to rebuild, so administrators decided to lease new space so classes could begin again later this summer.

"We are going to have classes in August," said Dr. Winters. "We might have several locations. This building is large enough to house many of our full-time programs and staff.

"I have given my administrators the task of fitting as many programs as is safely possible within the space provided, but I can tell you this building is perfect for our needs for the next 18 months to two years."

Dr. Winters said CV Tech will return to El Reno, he just doesn't know when that will happen.

Complete Coverage: May 2013 Tornado Outbreak

The school has also reached an agreement to house the child care facility at Church of Christ South Yukon, 11700 N.W. 10th Street. Church staff agreed to provide child care facilities free of charge as a ministry outreach. The child care center will reopen on June 10.

The El Reno Campus Practical Nursing program will reopen for currently enrolled students on June 10 at Canadian Valley's Dr. Earl Cowan Campus, S.W. 15th Street and Czech Hall Road, near Yukon.

The wind energy technician training program will reopen on June 10 at the Cowan Campus as will the PIVOT program.

The evening Cosmetology program will reopen for current students on June 10 at Francis Tuttle Technology Center's Reno Campus. The year-round Aviation Maintenance Technology program will reopen for current students on June 17 at Francis Tuttle's Rockwell Campus.