WINNIPEG – Construction at Bonnycastle School has been put on hold after the city rejected its building plans to add a curb cut for school bus drop-offs.
“I’m shocked they rejected it, actually, because the kids need a safe place to be picked up,” parent Terence Parker said Wednesday.
Pembina Trails School Division planned to build eight new classrooms, expand the daycare and parking and install the curb cut for school buses at the overflowing south Winnipeg school.
“Students will have way more elbow room, class size can go back down to a number we can be proud of,” said Pembina Trails School Division superintendent Ted Fransen.
Bonnycastle is already a construction zone and the school board wasn’t expecting any setbacks.
Without a curb cut, children must get on and off buses that stop on the road, which the division said is a safety and traffic headache.
“We have to wait until the school buses are gone, so traffic does get congested,” said Parker.
“Definitely not safe,” said Trista Hosein, another concerned parent.
The $7.6-million provincially funded expansion will allow the school to add 200 kindergarten to Grade 6 students and 74 daycare spots.
“We have a growing population out there and they need additional classrooms and we want to advance that project for children and families in that area,” said Premier Greg Selinger.
The school board is appealing the city’s rejection and should get a decision by July. If the school wins the appeal it hopes to have construction done by September 2015.
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