Construction of a new elementary school in Peterborough’s east end will begin this month.
At a special board meeting on Monday, trustees with the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board awarded a $19.9 million tender to Everstrong Construction Ltd. for building the yet-to-be-named new school, which will replace Armour Heights and King George Public Schools in East City. The construction company is based out of Halton Hills, Ont.
“We are very pleased and excited to be taking the next steps in bringing this new school to completion,” stated Diane Lloyd, board chairperson.
“We know it will offer many wonderful educational opportunities for our students, as well as benefit the entire community.
Construction is expected to begin this month with a scheduled occupancy in September 2020.
The new school in the East City/Ashburnham area will house 674 students from kindergarten through Grade 8, including a French Immersion program.
The facility will also include a childcare centre for the community.
“We extend our thanks once again to the provincial government for its support in funding this project to move forward, and share our appreciation of the efforts made on our behalf by MPP Dave Smith (Peterborough-Kawartha),” said Lloyd.
To accommodate construction of the new school, King George Public School students will be moving to the Ridpath School site in the village of Lakefield, beginning this September.
Initially, the school was scheduled to open this September. The opening date, however, was delayed due to additional environmental reviews, drainage work and surrounding roadwork plans.
An accommodation review in February 2016 recommended the amalgamation of the two schools due to declining enrolment and rising maintenance costs for the aging buildings. The report stated the 105-year-old King George school was at 80 per cent student capacity with 232 students — nearly half of what it was 15 years ago.
Armour Heights, which opened in 1954, was at 73 per cent of its capacity with 225 students, down 150 students from 15 years ago.
The proposed design of a new elementary school for East City in Peterborough.WATCH: School board approves busing Peterborough elementary students to Lakefield school
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