Harbour Landing among schools moving forward

Regina Public and Catholic school divisions are getting their wish granted for a new joint-use school in Harbour Landing, with proposed funding for the project set aside in the provincial spending plan for the coming year.

The spending estimates for the 2020-21 fiscal year were announced on Wednesday in a pared back budget presented by the provincial government.

Only an expenditure statement was released in light of the COVID -19 pandemic and oil prices affecting revenue projections.

Included in the proposed expenditures is $8.5 million to start planning and design on seven new schools and renovate three existing schools across Saskatchewan.

In Regina, this includes funding for a new joint-use school in Harbour Landing, and a new joint-use facility to consolidate St. Peter, St. Michael and Imperial elementary schools into one building in the city’s north end.

A new Harbour Landing school is “an important step” for Regina Public Schools to meet the community’s needs, said Katherine

Gagne, the division’s board chair.

“We’re sitting in very uncertain days and to be able to see these approved to move forward is good news for our division,” she said.

As for the consolidation project, the division’s priority list had also included Mcdermid Community School in that. Gagne said she was not sure why Mcdermid was no longer listed as part of the project.

Bob Kowalchuk, board chair for Regina Catholic Schools, is pleased to see enrolment issues in Harbour Landing addressed. “This budget addresses a number of basic things we do need to see,” he said.

Saskatoon is getting a new elementary school to replace Princess Alexandra, King George and Pleasant Hill elementary schools.

The public division is using the consolidation to take the three schools’ combined $68 million in deferred maintenance off the books, said the division’s board chair Colleen Macpherson.

More funding for a rebuild of St. Frances Cree Bilingual School was also proposed after last year’s budget provided $250,000 in scope funding to estimate the needs and size of the new school.

Carrot River is getting a chunk of the money to begin planning on a consolidation project of its elementary and high schools — something Don Rempel, director of education for the North East School Division, is “ecstatic” to see.

He said this is something the Carrot River schools have needed for several years. Three years ago, a portion of the high school’s gymnasium roof had a “major failing ” and wasn’t safe to use anymore. That section of the building has been cordoned off ever since.

The spending plan also includes $500,000 to do a long-term planning and needs analysis for a new high schools in east Regina.