A day after the 2018 budget revealed 20 new schools are set to be built across the province, the Alberta government announced it will fund the construction of a new south Lethbridge elementary school.
Friday’s announcement was welcome news for Lethbridge School District No. 51. Christine Lee, the associate superintendent of business affairs with the district, says funding for a new school in Lethbridge’s Southbrook subdivision has been a top priority since last year’s budget, citing a rapidly growing population.
“We’re pretty excited to have a new school on that side of Lethbridge,” Lee said.
Construction is anticipated to begin this summer with the 600-student school expected to be ready for the fall of 2020.
“It is the first school that will have been built in over 55 years in south Lethbridge,” Lee said.
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The school is to feature photovoltaic solar energy panels to convert the sun’s energy to electricity.
Including solar panels, the estimated cost of construction is $14.3 million.
As part of the 2018 budget, he Alberta government announced almost $393 million dollars for 20 new schools across the province.
That plan doesn’t include a new west-side elementary school for the Holy Spirit Catholic School Division and it’s not sitting well with its superintendent, Chris Smeaton.
“We’re extremely disappointed that we weren’t given a new school in west Lethbridge, which again is the highest growth area in Lethbridge and a significant need for us at Holy Spirit,” Smeaton said.
An Alberta Education spokesperson told Global News that funding for school projects are based on a priority system and the department determines provincial priorities for school projects using information provided in school authorities’ capital plans.
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