Ten new schools coming
PAGE A4 Critics demand details of pledge to have doors open by 2016 —
A parent group welcomed news Monday of 10 additional schools in the works for Calgary, but questions remain about the projects’ construction methods, price tags and timelines for when the new classrooms will open their doors to students.
The province moved ahead Monday with its ambitious $2.4-billion school building program, announcing plans to construct 10 new schools in Calgary and three in Edmonton, with Alberta’s infrastructure minister pledging the work will be done in 2016.
The announcement will see the province proceed with six new public schools and three Catholic schools in the city. As well, one new francophone school will be built, and the province will also modernize a school in the city.
Jeff Bowes, president of the Calgary Association of Parents and School Councils, said the new schools can’t come soon enough for the city’s public system.
“The announcement they’re coming is a good thing. The public school system in Calgary is overcapacity right now, they’re certainly badly needed,” said Bowes.
“Timelines are important. When are these schools going to start to be built? The sooner the better, most certainly.”
The new schools in Calgary will create about 7,600 student spots in the city, with new facilities built in: Auburn Bay, K-4 public school; Cranston, K-6 Catholic school; Evergreen, Grades 5-9 public school;
McKenzie Towne, Grades 5-9 public school;
New Brighton-Copperfield, K-6 Catholic school, and Grades 5-9 public school;
Panorama Hills, K-6 public school;
Scenic Acres, K-6 francophone school; Tuscany, K-4 public school; Southeast (location to be determined), Grades 10-12 Catholic school
As well, the Weston Bakery at Stampede Park will be changed into a learning facility through a partnership between government, Calgary Arts Academy and Calgary Stampede and its Calgary Youth Campus. The academy will shift some students into the revitalized Stampede Park facility.
The announcement had no specifics on how the projects will be financed or when work will get started, but Premier Alison Redford said Monday it won’t be long before Calgary sees the new facilities.
“We have announced a very ambitious infrastructure project. We’re well on the way with respect to some of it. People are going to see some great progress,” Redford told reporters in Calgary.
“We don’t build schools overnight, it’s not a snap of the finger.”
But the province is already facing questions on when previously announced schools would be built using the public-private partnership financing model.
Wildrose MLA Bruce McAllister contended the Redford government is set to break its election promise of getting the new schools built and modernized by 2016, since it takes roughly three years to build such a facility.
“They have not started one project,” McAllister said. “At some point the public has to say, this is like fool’s gold.”
During the 2012 election campaign, Redford vowed the government would spend $2.4 billion to build the new schools and modernize aging facilities across the province.
The Calgary Arts Academy project is the final of the 70 modernization projects on the books. With 42 new school projects already announced, a further eight new schools are set to be rolled out soon, the province said.
Earlier this month, Calgary Board of Education trustees called on the provincial government to allow the public school board to take over re- sponsibilities for delivering new schools to get them constructed in a timely manner.
On Monday, board chair Sheila Taylor said she’ll work with the province to “make sure these new schools are built when we need them,” noting the public district is growing by more than 3,000 students a year and is “bursting at the seams.”
She said Monday’s announcement is good news, but noted more schools are needed. In its 2014-17 capital plan, the CBE said it needs 25 schools in three years.
“If we don’t have a significant construction completion within the next two years, we will start to have big issues around finding enough space for our students.”
Taylor said she hopes to see construction start by this spring on previously announced CBE schools, while Calgary Catholic School District chair Mary Martin said she has “every expectation” the province will get the work done in time.
“We’re going to move forward with the expectation that 2016 will see those doors open,” Martin said.
Infrastructure Minister Ric McIver said Monday the province intends to meet its goal of having all the new projects complete in 2016, and will need to start making decisions soon on what construction methods it will use to get them built.
“We want them opened 2016. That’s our goal,” said McIver, who noted that “all options are being considered,” for building them, including P3s and other models.
Trent Edwards, Brookfield Residential Alberta’s chief operating officer, said the home builder welcomed the announcement.
“Schools play such a key role in the sustainability of a community, and we are happy to hear the government’s announcement to proceed with its plan to build more schools in Calgary and Edmonton,” Edwards said. “We continue to see more families move to new communities, and the announcement is a welcomed response to their growing needs. We see this announcement as not just about building schools, but about increasing residents’ quality of life in communities and investing in a better future. We will continue to look for ways to work with the province and the school boards to bring schools to our communities faster.”
McIver said he’s got a project budget in hand, but won’t reveal the figures until after the bids go out.
But Liberal MLA Kent Hehr scoffed at the idea the province will be able to finish the infrastructure in 2016.
“There is no plan, no blueprint, no deadlines, no commitment to either a P3 project or a traditional build as to when these schools will be started,” he said.