PENHOLD – The town's urgently needed new middle school is still a top capital project priority of Chinook’s Edge School Division (CESD).
However, it could still be bumped way down to number 4, much to the surprise and dismay of Mayor Mike Yargeau.
“Up until (Feb. 5) I was under the impression we were first on the priority list," said Yargeau last week.
“Obviously, I don’t speak for the school division, but I would assume that that’s still a priority for them.”
The mayor posted a message to social media last week asking Penhold residents to contact CESD to keep the new Penhold Middle School at the top of its list.
“One of the reasons why we were number 1 is because it is an old school and the proximity to the railroad track,” he said.
For several months, the Town of Penhold and CESD have been engaged in ongoing discussions on the separation of the Penhold Public Library from Penhold Crossing Secondary School.
However, the CESD could still change the top priority in its 2021-2024 capital plan, from a new Penhold Middle School to a new K to 8 school in Liberty Landing in Gasoline Alley.
The CESD Board of Trustees reviewed a report last week outlining the board’s most pressing capital needs and approved an updated capital plan for 2021-2024, which included switching the number 1 and 4 priorities.
The number 1 priority was and still is a new 500-student capacity replacement school in Penhold.
It would replace the current 59-year-old Penhold Elementary School, which is located just over the rail tracks on the west side of town. It currently has a capacity of 230 students.
Shawn Russell, the school board’s associate superintendent corporate services, confirmed yesterday that Penhold was the number 1 priority. However, he added the school board’s capital project plan is always something open to revision based on changing needs within the division.
“Number 4 and number 1 could be changed if we have a significant increase in growth in Liberty Landing versus growth in Penhold,” said Russell. “Both schools would address the utilization and potential over-capacity in Penhold schools because it’s the same population base. Some students would no longer be going to the Penhold school, they’d be going to Liberty Landing based on where they live.”
Russell said the board will be submitting the priorities to the provincial government this week as its 2021-2024 capital plan.
“This is an annual process so next year they will be examining the capital plan and if there is growth patterns that indicate that a change may need to be made they would make that decision then,” explained Russell.
Penhold’s replacement school has been on CESD's radar for some time.
“We’ve seen the coming utilization pressures in Penhold and it has been on our capital plan for a few years now,” he said. “It certainly has been a discussion with the town about making sure we have that school site in place. Last year it was number 2 on the plan."
Russell said whether or not the replacement school in Penhold is built is dependent on government funding and what the province approves.
If the new school is not built over the next few years, they will continue to use Penhold Elementary School, he noted.
“If Liberty Landing school were built we would still maintain the three schools in the town of Penhold that we currently have,” said Russell. “We would use our IMR (infrastructure maintenance and renewal) dollars to maintain and upgrade that facility as needed.”
