East Wheatland School gets go ahead

Times Contributor 

 

Residents in the East Wheatland area will be happy to hear that the Alberta Government has approved funding to build the new East Wheatland K-12 school. 

School officials are waiting to hear how much funding has been allocated before the next step in the process is taken.

“We are very excited with today’s announcements. I can’t say enough about the working roup and the excellent job they have done in moving this whole situation forward. Truly, this is a solution that not only is good for students, but is also a model for rural sustainability. For the province to recognize that work and support all the communities in East Wheatland with a consolidated solution and to fund a state of the art facility where all our East Wheatland staff and students are able to work and learn together is fantastic news for all of us,” said Superintendent of Golden Hills School Division, Bevan Daverne.

Once funding amounts are confirmed, the next step will be an approach to Wheatland County for the building site, which will be located on the corner of Hwy. 840 and Hwy. 561, approaching the turnoff for Standard. A county development process must be followed and if approval is given, then design drawings will be developed. 

“Again at that point, we will be back out in the community for community input,” said Daverne.

Daverne speculated that the school will have a custom design to reflect the lot’s unique location characteristics. It will hold 450 students and leave room for expansion and growth. He said there will be a high school sized gym, computer and other program labs, shop, and appropriate rooms for K-12 programming.

This project will be open to community and municipal groups, if they wish to participate in fundraising projects that enhance the school experience. He said Golden Hills School Division has had successful community partnerships in the past. He gave the example of the modernization of Trochu Valley School, which had a boost of $250,000, raised by community partnerships.

Golden Hills School Division also received notification of provincial funding to upsize a Three Hills Elementary school to serve students K-12.