City’s future schools may be place to learn, play, live
Alberta Education will soon sit down with municipalities and local school districts to start working toward enhanced public uses at future school sites.
Under the new City Charters agreement, officially unveiled by the province last summer, the NDP wants to create more “community hubs” around future schools, with more public services and opportunities for recreation, health care, social programs and continuing education in the same space.
“Community hubs make sense economically and socially,” said David Eggen, minister of education.
“We’re continuing to see substantial growth in Calgary and Edmonton, so let’s combine urban planning with school planning.”
Eggen explained the City Charters initiative would see more school sites, like the recentlyopened Robert Thirsk High School in Arbour Lake, adjacent to a public library, YMCA and community arena.
“We’re looking to work together more on facilities, so we can all have an influence on buildings, locations and services.”
But Mayor Naheed Nenshi wants to take the initiative one step further and consider building housing alongside, or even on top of, new schools.
“I’m really optimistic about this new collaborative process,” Nenshi said. “This is an opportunity to do something really cool. So if you’re already building a school that’s two storeys high, why not add a third storey … and combine maybe seniors housing.”
Nenshi said mixing demographics within communities is highly beneficial, with seniors sustaining huge social advantages living near children and vice versa.
Eggen added even existing, stand-alone schools, which may sit isolated in an open field, should be providing public services on evenings and weekends from beforeand-after school care to gymnasium rentals.
As well, Eggen said modular schools will also become more popular in the future in which building design allows for the addition or the removal of modular rooms depending on community need and changing demographics.
Trustees at Tuesday’s CBE board meeting supported City Charters unanimously, setting sights on a meeting this spring.
Chairwoman Trina Hurdman said she wants to see future schools create more partnerships with public services depending on community need, whether that’s mental health, recreation or continuing education programs.
“Our priority is always student learning. And students need all kinds of services to support their learning.”
Since the NDP formed the government in May 2015,36 new schools have opened in Calgary, with eight more currently under construction. Last spring, the government announced the creation of five more schools in the next two years.
Barb Silva, spokeswoman of Support Our Students, said her advocacy group has been lobbying for community hubs at school sites for years.
She explained the concept is more important now than ever as the growth in alternative programming continues to bus kids outside of their neighbourhoods, resulting in the death of community schools.
“We’re diluting the value of community. Kids are not walking to school, they’re not building relationships, they’re getting less activity and they’re not gaining any street smarts.
“Why not create community schools with strong programs for everyone, with rich, diverse curriculum, language programs, music, physical education, that every student can have access to.”
Silva explained school sites would benefit from more “wraparound services” like medical clinics, social services, community centres with neighbourhood programs, libraries and recreation centres.
“Not every school needs all of this. But every school should be a community hub. Every school should be the kitchen of the party, the place where everyone always gravitates.”
While City Charters was first proposed under the Progressive Conservative government in 2014, the NDP unveiled its own plans last summer allowing Calgary and Edmonton rights and responsibilities around local legislation and infrastructure.
The charter will also grant cities more autonomy around some types of legislation, including traffic laws, operation hours for licensed establishments, funding for affordable housing and increased powers over environmental stewardship.