Glendale and Sherwood schools to shut down as consolidation plan passes

Edmonton’s public school board has approved a plan to consolidate four west-end schools into two, which will ultimately lead to the closing of Glendale and Sherwood schools.

The board voted Tuesday to support one of three consolidation options, which will see Afton School in West Meadowlark replaced with a new K-3 school building, and new construction on the Westlawn Junior High site of a grades 4-9 middle school.

The board approved the plan despite pleas from members of the Glenwood Community League to replace Glendale instead, given its proximity to a planned west LRT line.

“It’s a very sad day for the community,” Glenwood Community League president Jamie Post said. “How close is the nearest school going to be to the two stops in Jasper Place?”

Earlier, Post said he understands why the board wants to consolidate aging schools in the mature neighbourhoods. The league favours replacing Glendale Elementary with a new K-3 school.

Administrators recommended the board proceed with the Westlawn consolidation before other consolidations under consideration in the Britannia and Rosslyn areas, given a higher level of community engagement.

Surveys found 72 per cent of 183 respondents in the Westlawn area favoured replacing Afton and Westlawn.

Roland Labbe, director of infrastructure planning, said planners took traffic patterns and the future LRT route into consideration when recommending which schools to replace.

Extending the LRT to south Edmonton has had no known effect on student enrolment in those areas, Labbe said.

Trustee Ken Gibson said he was confident administrators had consulted adequately with the neighbourhoods affected and were recommending the best choice.

Gibson represents Ward E, which will include the Westlawn neighbourhoods after a boundary change for the Oct. 16 civic election.

Erin Dobbin, a civics director with the West Meadowlark Community League, said in an email to trustees last month the consultation was “comprehensive and absolutely fair.” The LRT will also serve West Meadowlark, he said.

The board also voted to put the $40-million Westlawn school merger as its third-highest priority on its capital plan — a request list submitted annually to the province for funding.

A new high school in Heritage Valley is the board’s current top ask, with a K-9 school in Chappelle in the second spot.