News Releases

News Release - Manitoba

September 19, 2017

Wishart Announces Eight-Classroom Addition at Amber Trails Community School



Students, families and educators in northwest Winnipeg will soon benefit from eight new classrooms at Amber Trails Community School in the Seven Oaks School Division, Education and Training Minister Ian Wishart announced today.

“The addition of these new classrooms will help meet the needs of this growing neighbourhood,” said Wishart.  “Our government is making significant investments in upgrades to public schools throughout the province because we know how important it is to ensure all students have a safe and healthy place in which to study.” 

Amber Trails Community School is an 85,923-sq.-ft. kindergarten to Grade 8 school that can accommodate 600 students.  The school is currently over capacity with an enrolment of 754 students this fall, the minister noted, and many students are bused to other schools to attend classes as a result.  This classroom addition will bring total enrolment capacity at the school up to 800, he said.

“This expansion will create a more comfortable learning environment for our students and staff,” said Brian O’Leary, superintendent, Seven Oaks School Division.  “Amber Trails will benefit greatly from the new classrooms, making this an important investment in our school and the community.”

The minister noted the project is expected to be ready for tender in early 2018, with a projected completion date of December 2018.  It will be supported through over $92.4 million in planned capital spending by the province in 2017-18 for public school infrastructure projects, prioritizing the health and safety of students and educators, and accommodating growth in enrolment, he added.

Amber Trails has been recognized as the second school building constructed in Canada to achieve the platinum level in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).  It also features a 64-space child-care centre with an additional 2,000 sq. ft. of flexible space for nursery/kindergarten and a before-and-after school program.

Enrolment in the Seven Oaks School Division has increased by 2,562 students since September 2005 and enrolment in the school division is projected to keep increasing by approximately 200 students per year, the minister added.

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