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ADDRESSING POPULATION GROWTH

Chinook’s Edge trustees approve capital plan requesting new school in Sylvan Lake

Mar 13, 2025 | 10:13 AM

The Chinook’s Edge Board of Trustees has approved the division’s 2026-2029 Capital Plan as of its March 11 meeting.

The division says the plan ranks requested school building and renovation projects based on current demographics, anticipated community growth, the utilization rate of existing facilities and their condition.

Next, the capital plan is submitted to Alberta Infrastructure for consideration.

The plan includes the following priorities:

  1. New Grade 10-12 high school in Sylvan Lake
  2. Modernization of Innisfail High School
  3. New elementary school in Olds
  4. New middle school in Carstairs or modernization of Hugh Sutherland School
  5. New K-8 school in Liberty Landing (Gasoline Alley)

Chinook’s Edge states, current utilization at H. J. Cody High School in Sylvan Lake is 106 per cent and anticipated to reach 115 per cent in two years. Additionally, the population in the community has increased by 17 per cent over a 10 year period.

Given this context, the board has marked this request to the province as urgent.

Other business tackled during the March 11 meeting included congratulations to board member Kathy Kemmere for receiving a King Charles III Coronation Medal. She received the award for her contributions to health care, but her work as a trustee was also noted by her nominator.

The board also appointed a new corporate secretary, Jason Drent, effective July 1, the day current secretary Shawn Russell retires.

Trustees also received a quarterly transportation update highlighting increased costs to purchasing buses, up by more than 10 per cent. The board hopes to see increased provincial funding to help accommodate that rising cost.