L-R: Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors Devin Dreeshen, Chinook's Edge School Division Board of Trustees Board Chair Holly Bilton, Penhold Mayor Michael Yargeau, and Associate Superintendent of Corporate Services Shawn Russell. (rdnewsNOW/Ashley Lavallee-Koenig)

By Ashley Lavallee-Koenig

"BOOMING COMMUNITY"

Penhold Waskasoo Middle School construction points to town’s growth

May 24, 2024 | 7:26 PM

Construction of the Penhold Waskasoo Middle School is underway and marks a new chapter of growth for the town of Penhold.

Construction of the building began in March, however the official sod-turning had to be moved to May 24 to accommodate weather, and guest schedules.

Devin Dreeshen, MLA for the town, and minister of transportation and economic corridors, says Penhold is in a boom position, and the school is a good sign of that.

“It’s great to see that so many, especially young, families want to move into this area; but then obviously we need to have the school capacity to keep up with that demand, so it’s great to see that construction is well underway,” said Dreeshen at the ground-breaking.

From 2017-2022, Penhold’s population grew 11.4 per cent to a population of 3,928. Penhold Mayor Michael Yargeau says they are in the midst of conducting a census, and he expects a count of around 4,000 citizens.

Last seen Jan. 15

Missing: Courtney Cattleman, 17, of Maskwacis

2h ago

eyes up

Air Spray training around Red Deer Regional Airport

3h ago

Prevention, Access, Recovery, and Coordination

Safe Harbour officially hands over shelter keys, establishes accessible navigation hub

21h ago

“We have about a 50-year growth plan that would bring us, I believe it’s close to 20,000 people, and it would develop this whole area,” Yargeau says.

He believes it’s the community’s family-oriented atmosphere that is attracting so many new residents, along with its proximity to Red Deer.

“You constantly see kids out playing at the playgrounds, and kids out walking with their families. When we do our fall Festival — which is our biggest event that brings the most people from out of town here — when you’re someone looking for a place to live and you see that, those are the types of things that bring people here and make them choose Penhold,” Yargeau shared.

The new school will have capacity for 500 students plus the ability to expand to more than 700, compared to the current campus’s 250-300 students, says Shawn Russell, Chinook’s Edge School Division’s associate superintendent of corporate services.

He says the new facility will have unique features for learning such as focused common rooms throughout the building, and that the designs were made with community, staff, and parent involvement.

Sherry Cooper, vice chair of Chinook’s Edge School Divison’s board of trustees, says the choices made on the project will enhance student learning and how they experience school, and ensure the project is completed efficiently.

“The fact that it’s very close to an existing campus is perfect because we’re not building things twice. We’re using the same bus loop as Penhold Crossing, so that allows us to really be efficient and cost-effective with the money that we’ve got to build this school,” she says. “Having the ability to take a look at how kids are learning now, and it’s not quite square boxes and rows and rows of desks anymore, so we’re able to design a school that is really going to enhance the learners of today.”

—

Subscribe to our FREE newsletter, and download the rdnewsNOW mobile app on Google Play and the Apple App Store for all the latest updates on this and other stories.