Space-sharing plan between high school, rec centre wins approval

Joint planning between a new public high school and civic recreation centre in Edmonton’s far south received a unanimous thumbs-up from public school board trustees Tuesday.

Southwest Edmonton public school trustee Nathan Ip and Ward 9 Coun. Tim Cartmell are prodding the district and city administrators to work together to design a potentially shared facility for the new Heritage Valley high school and proposed rec centre.

“I certainly hope that this can be the first of many of this model,” Ip said Tuesday.

His colleagues wanted to know if collaborating on the project could potentially cause delays, or reduce the number of seats available for students.

It shouldn’t, Ip said.

The board is anxious to get construction started on two high schools in south Edmonton in the next three years to stave off an impending classroom crunch.

Although the school district has collaborated with the city on other shared buildings, such as J. Percy Page High School’s connection with the Mill Woods Recreation Centre, Ip has said he’d like to see more integrated community buildings that include other community services, such as health clinics or public libraries.

Also at Tuesday’s meeting, the board unanimously approved a motion to write to Education Minister David Eggen, requesting he make any changes to transportation regulations, funding or walk-to-school limits by March 1.

District superintendent Darrel Robertson said March 1 is the latest the district should know about rule changes to plan school bus routes for next fall and explain transportation options to parents and guardians.

Trustee Michael Janz, who introduced the motion for advanced notice, said transportation fees can influence which school or program families choose.

He supports the government’s move to reduce school fees, and is impatient to see the details.

“Can you blame school boards for being anxious and wanting to sneak down and open our Christmas presents early?” he said in a Monday interview.

In a statement emailed Friday, Eggen said government has yet to decide the new rules for free or

Can you blame school boards for being anxious and wanting to sneak down and open our Christmas presents early?

reduced-fee school busing, and he knows school boards need plenty of notice.

The new regulations are to take effect in September.

The board also made public Tuesday a new three-year collective agreement inked with public school maintenance workers.

The contract, signed with 275 members of CUPE 784, raises the amount of money in members’ health and wellness spending accounts in the first year, covers some of members’ extended disability premiums starting in the second year, and grants a 1.25 per cent wage increase in Year 3.

The contract expires Aug. 31, 2020.