Government announces 26 new school projects

Above: Premier Notley and Minister Eggen with the Woodhaven Middle School choir in Spruce Grove. – GOA Photo

by Morinville News Staff

The Government of Alberta says it plans to invest $500 million in 26 school projects as part of Budget 2017 in order to improve access to education and create an estimated 6000 jobs.

Of the 26, eight will be new schools, nine will replace existing facilities, and an additional seven projects will be modernizations of existing schools. An additional two projects have been allocated planning dollars. The first of the Budget 2017 schools will be ready for fall of 2021.

The government believes the additional projects will address enrolment growth and revitalize older schools while creating thousands of jobs for Albertans.

“Our government is working to make life better for Albertans and part of that is building schools for our growing number of students,” said Premier Rachel Notley in a media release Tuesday. “We will also protect and improve education by providing a much-needed facelift to some of our aging facilities.”

One of the nine replacement schools is located in Rivière Qui Barre. The others are located in Banff, Grande Prairie, Irma, Iron Springs, Sherwood Park, Medicine Hat and two in Edmonton.

The government website on the school announcements lists both Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools’ St. Kateri Tekakwitha Academy and Sturgeon School Division’s (SSD) new Grades 5-9 school as being in the design phase with completion dates to be determined.

Dr. Michele Dick, SSD Superintendent, told Morinville News in February that she anticipated the new public school going to tender this summer.

“The drawings are being fleshed out, and the interior and exterior concepts are really quite amazing,” Dick said at the time. “As we have been approved for solar panels, we are now exploring what that will mean for the school and how we will be able to use solar energy as a teaching tool. More to come on this exciting opportunity.”

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