Ascent Classical Academy’s auction. There is no notification that these items were taken out of a lead-contaminated building
A classified ad in today’s Daily Sentinel gives notice that an auction is being held online to benefit the new Ascent Classical Academy charter school. All of the fixtures that were in the old Rocky Mountain Gun Club building, the building to be used to house the school, are being auctioned off to raise money for the school.
Since lead contamination is a well-known hazard at former shooting ranges due to the very fine lead dust thrown off by bullets when they are fired, the building is undergoing remediation for lead. All of the fixtures previously inside the building, including the HVAC system, cabinets, furniture, artwork, lumber and other items were also contaminated with lead.
Lead poisoning caused by exposure to lead can cause serious health problems, especially in young children.
Director of New School Development and Outreach for the charter school, Kim Gilmartin, says the hundreds of items being auctioned off are being decontaminated during the period running up to the auction. The ad says “All items must be removed by May 25th.”
To be safe, if you purchase any items for sale at this auction, you may want to have them professionally tested for any presence of lead contamination before you use them in your home, garage or shop, or before re-selling them to others.
I warned of this over a month ago. But just getting contaminated objects out will not be enough. The walls must come down. Everything must be removed down to the bones of the building, and then the bones need testing by at least one independent contractor. All tests need to be published.
No matter the testing and the results, I would not send my kid there. There was a reason the building did not sell as a office that it once was before the gun range. Contamination is ubiquitous.