The province has committed up to $12 million to modernize …cole John Wilson Elementary School, the second phase of a massive project that will rejuvenate the local school campus.
Jeff Johnson, the provincial minister of education, was in Innisfail last week (Jan. 23) to announce the funding, part of the province's ambitious $2- billion Building Alberta Plan aimed at constructing or modernizing 120 schools across the province by the 2016-17 school year.
The Chinook's Edge School Division's Innisfail Schools Campus -- which includes John Wilson elementary, Innisfail Middle School, Innisfail Junior/Senior High and St. Marguerite Bourgeoys School from the Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools system ñ is currently undergoing the first phase of a $6.9-million modernization and expansion project. Most of the first phase is expected to be completed by the end of this school year.
Johnson said last week that timelines and the total cost for the second phase to modernize the local elementary school have not yet been worked out.
ìThe project will still have a little bit of work to do, the final planning,î said Anderson, who made his announcement in the school gym to students, staff, and Chinook's Edge officials. ìThe estimates of this project are in excess of $10 million. I announced 12 here, between $10 and $12 million dollars. This will be scoped out and it will be tendered. When the tenders come in we will know exactly how much it will cost.î
While the first phase of the building project at Innisfail Schools Campus has included expansion and new infrastructure -- including a pedway, a new high school gym, a bus loop and new library space for Innisfail Middle School ñ the second phase will not alter the footprint at …cole John Wilson Elementary School, which was first constructed in 1955 with additions in 1966, 1985 and 2004.
ìIt will be a full modernization of the entire school building and learning spaces within our school,î said Jackie Taylor, principal of the elementary school. ìThis is absolutely a win-win for everybody. A $12-million project for …cole John Wilson Elementary School will take this school far into the future with the modernization we will be able to do.î
She said the $12 million will modernize heating and ventilation systems. Classrooms will be taken down and rebuilt with new millwork and the school will have new flooring, windows, ceilings and lighting systems.
ìWe will see the full works likely out of this $12 million,î said Taylor.
While the province has now committed the funding, timelines for the second phase have not yet been worked out.
ìMost of the modernizations we are doing are taking about two years but renovations are always a little bit tricky,î said Johnson, who said his ministry will be announcing an additional 50 school modernization projects across the province in the next four weeks. ìUsually we can get these things done from the time we announce them to the time kids are using them again within a three-year window. Certainly I think that is what everyone here is targeting.î
Colleen Butler, chair of the board for the Chinook's Edge School Division, said while she hopes the second phase for John Wilson elementary can start ìsoonî she noted work was still continuing on Phase 1.
ìI am not sure if all of this can be done at the same time,î said Butler, adding the school board was grateful the province was responding to the needs of Innisfail's schools. ìWe are looking forward to a great school here, and a connected school.
ìIt will be a campus rather than individual schools which we had before,î she added. ìWith the walkway they will all be connected.î
