Early estimates show a new public high school in Guelph could open by September 2022, according to a recent report by the Upper Grand District School Board.
The new school at Arkell and Victoria roads was announced in the spring of 2018 and is expected to accommodate around 900 students in grades 9 through 12.
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A report presented at a board meeting on Tuesday featured more details about the design and scope of the project.
The school is expected to have 23 general classrooms, five science labs, four music and art rooms, eight technical and vocational rooms, four special education and resource rooms, a gymnasium and an exercise room.
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The board had originally asked for a school for 1,200 students, but the report recommended a design to accommodate possible expansion.
A triple gymnasium was preferred but, given the size of the school, may not be possible to incorporate into the initial design, the report stated.
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However, the report recommended the gymnasium be placed against an exterior wall for possible expansion.
Early timelines show construction on the 111,000-square-foot school is expected to begin in February 2021.
The previous Liberal government approved the construction and committed $25.5 million to the project.
The Upper Grand District School Board said Ontario’s Ministry of Education, under the new Progressive Conservative government, has told the school board to proceed with the design.
“(The ministry) has given us no indication that the project will be cancelled,” board spokesperson Heather Loney said in an email on Wednesday.
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“Board staff are continuing through our timelines as scheduled.”
The new school would become the city’s fourth public high school and the first built by the board since Centennial CVI opened its doors in 1967.
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