Four central Alberta school divisions receive provincial infrastructure funding in budget

Chinook’s Edge School Division (CESD) announced that they received construction funding for a new middle school in Penhold to replace the current Penhold Elementary School facility. They say it will be built south of Penhold Crossing Secondary School.

“The Board is very pleased with this announcement, and we are excited to see this project move forward,” said Holly Bilton, Chair of Chinook’s Edge School Board. “The community of Penhold is growing, and a new school in Penhold will help us address capacity challenges. Chinook’s Edge is looking forward to continuing to work with Alberta Education, Alberta Infrastructure and the community to build a facility that will serve as a great learning environment for many years.”

The CESD says the design for the new school is nearing completion as, over the past year, they worked with Alberta Education, Alberta Infrastructure and an architectural firm to design the facility with provincial funds specifically for that work. They say part of the process involved consultation with staff and parents.

Chinook’s Edge says they are hopeful that construction will begin in the early fall and anticipate the project will take two years to complete. The funding is for construction and post-occupancy review.

As a part of the design process, it was determined that a grade reconfiguration in Penhold is required. Once the new facility is complete, the Chinook’s Edge community of schools in Penhold will include:

Jessie Duncan Elementary School: Kindergarten to Grade 3
New Penhold School: Grades 4 to 8
Penhold Crossing Secondary School: Grades 9 to 12.

CLEARVIEW SCHOOL DIVISION

Government officials say the availability of suitable sites has been one of the biggest roadblocks causing delays to school projects. They say this inspired them to create a new School Planning Program to serve as a “transparent pipeline” for upcoming school projects to begin as soon as formal construction funding is approved.

The Clearview School Division will be receiving this type of funding for modernizations and additions at the Stettler Middle School. The government says the funds will help begin planning and site development.

“The School Planning Program has provided Clearview Public Schools with funding to do a Value Scoping on a portion of the Stettler Complex. The Complex currently houses Stettler Elementary School and William E Hay Secondary Campus. Several years ago the Stettler Middle School was amalgamated with the other schools. So when we speak of the Middle School, it is a specific portion of the Stettler Complex that has not been renovated previously,” said Clearview School Division Superintendent Scot Leys, who added that the Division received up to $47,000 for the project.

“We are planning a Value Scoping Process (paid for with School Planning funding) to determine the structural, electrical, HVAC needs of that portion of the building, as well as attempting to address other needs stakeholders identify. Our hope would be to update and upgrade this portion of the complex to allow for better flow between our spaces.

“Clearview is excited by the prospect of renovating and updating portions of the Stettler Complex and are thankful to the government of Alberta for recognizing the needs of rural communities like Stettler.”

RED DEER PUBLIC SCHOOLS DISTRICT

The budget’s Pre-Planning funding, officials say, will assist with developing scope options, programming priorities, and activities such as community engagement for conceptual projects.

Red Deer Public Schools District (RDPSD) received Pre-Planning Program funding for a new northeast middle school; however, they say they do not know the amount of funding as of yet.

“While the big picture of the provincial education budget addresses some of the issues and concerns facing school boards across Alberta, until we receive our specific funding profiles, we will not know the specific impact for Red Deer Public Schools. The detailed funding profiles tell the true story and will not be available until March,” said RDPSD Board Chair Nicole Buchanan.

“However, the news of a $1.8 billion increase over three years for education across the province is welcomed news. We look forward to hearing how this additional funding will directly affect Red Deer Public Schools in the coming weeks.”

Government officials say the planning programs will allow for the further development of project scope and site investigation work, help to clarify potential risks and identify mitigating strategies and costs. The goal, they say, is to provide school boards with the resources they need to remove barriers and better position the project for design consideration and construction approval in future budget cycles, which is expected to reduce costs and minimize schedule disruptions and delays.

RED DEER CATHOLIC SCHOOL

Design funding activities include the preparation of construction tender documents such as drawings and specifications. The Red Deer Catholic School Division will be receiving design funding for a new K-5 school in Blackfalds.

This $2.3 billion investment in education infrastructure includes:

$372 million for construction and design projects:
- 10 new schools
- 16 replacement schools
- seven modernizations
$4 million to support planning activities such as site analysis and scope development for 14 projects
$1 million to pre-plan 11 conceptual projects that are anticipated to become high-priority needs for school jurisdictions
$1 billion to continue work on previously announced projects
$300 million over three years in school authority self-directed capital projects
$279 million to support the maintenance and renewal of existing school buildings through the Capital Maintenance and Renewal Program
$171 million to support public charter school infrastructure, including investment for a charter hub in Calgary
$43 million to fund facility upgrades for successful collegiate school applicants
$93 million for the modular classroom program to address urgent space needs across the province

“The Alberta government is investing in critical infrastructure projects that include upgrading and building high-quality schools to ensure Albertans can send their children to schools in their local communities. Our focus is on ensuring these projects are delivered on time, on budget and where they’re needed,” said Nathan Neudorf, Minister of Infrastructure.

The Ministry of Infrastructure passed the Infrastructure Accountability Act in December 2021 with the goal of supporting the decision-making process for delivering infrastructure projects. The act outlines how the province prioritizes projects for the annual capital plan. As legislated by the act, the government also published Building Forward: Alberta’s 20-Year Strategic Capital Plan in December 2021, providing a blueprint for long-term infrastructure investment and development in Alberta. The government says their budget decisions are made in accordance with the act and are guided by the strategic capital plan. They add government partners, such as municipalities and school boards, will also be able to plan for capital funding knowing the long-term direction of government.

rdnewsNOW reached out to the Red Deer Catholic School Division who did not respond for comment in time for publication.

by Alessia Proietti

Four central Alberta school divisions receive provincial infrastructure funding in budget

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