Local school boards are “grateful” and “ecstatic” St. Albert city council kept the city's growing student population top of mind in their recent decision to allow a second school site in Riverside.
“Kudos; huge thank you certainly from me personally, but for students across St. Albert, for the city administration, who pointed out that that area structure plan needed two school sites,” said Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools board chair Joe Becigneul.
On Monday, March 16, city council did an about-face on a previous decision that only one school site should be in the amended Riverside area structure plan (ASP). They passed second and third reading of the amended ASP, and one of the changes was designating a 3.8-hectare parcel on the corner of Riverside Drive and future Rankin Drive as a future school.
St. Albert Public Schools board chair Glenys Edwards said her board was “very grateful” to council for their decision.
Area residents had spoken out against the ASP being amended to include the second school site during a March 2 public hearing, some saying they invested in their properties specifically because they backed onto a large park – not a school.
Others said they just want more green space in the neighbourhood and feared a school site would sit empty for years.
The Gazette was unable to reach area residents for comment by print deadline. One resident who spoke at the public hearing, Michael Hatter, said he purposefully moved his family into a home that backed onto a large park, not a school.
Currently there is only one shovel ready school site in St. Albert, in Oakmont, and Becigneul noted having shovel ready sites is an essential step in getting provincial funding for new schools.
“There are five drivers all together, (and) you can meet all of those requirements, but if you don't have shovel ready school sites, they're not going to award the school,” he said.
Becigneul added administrative members from school divisions and the city meet every year, and “all along” local divisions have said two school sites were needed in Riverside.
Additionally, you cannot build a neighbourhood of nearly 10,000 people with only one school, Becigneul argued.
Edwards said in recent consultations with parents, parents noted they “often” move into areas to be close to schools.
“Families do like the idea of children attending their neighborhood school,” she said.
Any future decisions on how school sites are allocated amongst the three school divisions in St. Albert – including Greater North Central Francophone Education – are made by the school site allocation committee.
