New school in Evanston too small for growing community?

CALGARY – For the first time in four years, construction has started on a new Calgary Catholic School.

It’s being built in the northwest community of Evanston.

Since it was announced last year, Premier Jim Prentice has promised another 55 schoools will be added to the list across the province.

Evanston is home to about 10,000 people but that number will soon grow to 40,000.

Some residents raise concerns the school might be too small even before it opens its doors.

“It’s a rapidly growing community. I think we can anticipate it will be full sooner than later, without a doubt,” says the board chair of Calgary Catholic Schools, Mary Martin.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "It's a rapidly growing community. I think we can anticipate it will be full sooner than later, without a doubt," says the board chair of Calgary Catholic Schools, Mary Martin.

It’s a problem that the province says it’s committed to solving once and for all.

“The commitment is absolutely firm,” says Infrastructure Minister Manmeet Bhullar. “Our premier has made it clear with me and the public that building schools as quickly as possible so children don’t spend a lot of time on busses is his number one priority with education.”

Bhullar says the PCs are committed to ending the chronic shortage of classroom space.

The kindergarten to grade 9 school will be home to 900 students when it opens its doors in 2016.