Los Gatos Weekly-Times Photographs by George Sakkestad Bulldozers complete the demolition of the old Loma Prieta School which the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake rendered unfit for use. Bulldozers finish destruction started by Loma Prieta quake By Michelle Alaimo Oct. 17, 1989, 5:04 p.m. Those who live in the Bay Area know exactly what happened and where they were on that date at that time. That's when the earth violently shook from a 7.1 earthquake leaving behind a mass of destruction. That's also when the Loma Prieta School became no more. Luckily, the earthquake hit at a time when school was out and children were at home. The force of the quake knocked the old school on Summit Road off its foundation. Underlying the school was a series of faults that caused floors to buckle and dips to form, making most of the nearly 30-year-old school unusable. Now more than nine years later, the painful reminder of the earthquake that tore apart so many people's lives, has come down to allow construction of a playfield to begin. Teacher Joyce Haworth, who was one of nearly 20 people on campus at the time of the earthquake, said that although it was difficult to watch the demolition of the school, it was time. "The school had been sitting there for almost a decade, and vandals had gotten to it," Haworth said. Keeping watch: Joren Jackson Most of the school had remained untouched since the earthquake. Only a preschool and another wing, now used for independent studies, were deemed safe. At the time of the Loma Prieta earthquake, Haworth said, 14 children were in the preschool, and she could hear their screams from her classroom. The children were not injured but frightened. Haworth and the preschool teacher huddled with the children until help came. Now many of the children who weren't even born at the time of the quake will be able to use the playfield to be constructed on the old school site. Superintendent Mary Ellen Lewis said construction should be completed by fall, but she is unsure of the exact start date of the project. Money for the approximately $200,000 playfield will come from funds the district received from disaster earthquake money. She said that money is for school use only. The joint school and community playfield will also feature a gazebo area for outdoor community events. The gazebo was donated by the Pruneyard Shopping Center in Campbell. Trees and shrubbery surrounding the old school have also been saved and incorporated into the new field plans. Lewis said the plans were drawn up in such a way that the trees could stay where they were without being transplanted. Lewis sees the new playfield and the demolition of the old school as bringing a sense of closure. "The demolition brought back lots of memories for many," Lewis said. "It is one more outward symbol of closure as well as moving on." [ Back to Contents Page | Los Gatos Weekly-Times Home Page | Archives ] This article appeared in the Los Gatos Weekly-Times, February 3, 1999. ©1999 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.