St. Albert and Morinville could have three new schools in three years as part of an ambitious construction plan announced this week by Alberta’s premier.
But where those schools will go, and when they’ll get here, are so far unanswered questions.
Premier Jim Prentice announced Wednesday that the province would give Alberta school boards $43.2 million this year to begin planning the construction of 55 new schools and 20 school modernizations.
Four of these new projects are in the St. Albert region.
They include a new K to 9 school for St. Albert Public that will hold 900 students, a 400-student K to 9 school in Erin Ridge North and a 350-student K to 6 school in Morinville for Greater St. Albert Catholic, and a modernization of Vincent J. Maloney Junior High.
Prentice also announced the construction of 31 new modular classrooms, four of which will go to the St. Albert Public district.
And he promised to release an extra $100 million to fast-track school maintenance projects.
Prentice said in a release that these new schools were meant to address the province’s rapid growth.
“Alberta’s prosperous future has drawn young families from all over Canada and the world to our province,” he said.
“This government is listening to Albertans and acting quickly to deliver on the priorities of Alberta families and communities.”
Public board chair Cheryl Dumont said she was very pleased by this week’s announcement, given that she had coincidentally spoken with local MLAs Doug Horner and Stephen Khan about the need for new schools last Oct. 3.
“We are in deep need of more spaces for children in St. Albert, so we’re absolutely thrilled to get the number-one item on our capital plan,” she said, in reference to the K to 9 school.
The Catholic board was also excited, particularly since the announcement coincides with the district’s 150th year, said board chair Noreen Radford.
“St. Albert is a growing community and this will certainly help meet the needs.”
Dumont said she’s disappointed that the province didn’t announce a new high school or a modernization for Paul Kane – both of which the board needs – but said she had been assured that Khan was still lobbying for those items.
“We are going to need additional high school spaces within the next five years.”
Radford said the new Catholic schools should help relieve pressure at J.J. Nearing, Neil M. Ross and Notre Dame, the latter of which is currently maxed out on portables and sitting at 110 per cent capacity. (Schools are considered “full” at 80, she explained.)
The new St. Albert and Morinville schools will likely cost about $20 million and $15 million, respectively, she continued. The V.J. Maloney renovation will likely cost about $4 million, and will focus on upgrades to classrooms.
Dumont said the public board has yet to calculate the cost of its new school, and has not decided where its four new portables will go. These portables are distinct from the six the district is already set to get this school year, she added.
Alberta Education spokesperson Kathleen Range said the province hopes to have the elementary and junior high schools announced this week built by 2017 and the high schools done by 2018. The new modulars should be ready next year.
Prentice has pegged the total cost of the new schools and modernizations announced this week at $2 billion.
The province has yet to say how much of the $43 million in planning funds St. Albert will get, Dumont said.
A 2017 deadline is “quite aggressive” given that the board is just going to tender its most recent new school (Lois E. Hole Elementary) this month, Dumont said. Other school boards have also questioned if the province has the manpower to meet this deadline.
Prentice seems committed, however, Dumont said. “They’re pulling out all the stops.”
Dumont and Radford said their boards do not have school sites in place for these new schools, but are in talks with Morinville and St. Albert to get them.
City manager Patrick Draper said St. Albert currently has just one open shovel-ready school site available: the Oakmont site, which has been allocated to the Catholic district. The Catholic board does not have a site in Erin Ridge North, he noted.
The city was in talks to set up sites in Jensen Lakes (west of Walmart) and Riverside (near McKenney Ave. and Ray Gibbon Dr.), he continued. Draper wasn’t sure how soon those sites would be ready for occupancy.
The city is supposed to have a school site in Kingswood, but the local developer has so far declined to hand the land over to the city.
Morinville has sites available in South Glens and Westwinds, said town chief executive officer Debbie Oyarzun.
