May 5, 2015
Budget 2015 Supports Construction of New School in South Winnipeg
– – –$30-million English and French Immersion Elementary School will include Child-care Spaces to Meet Needs of Growing Community: Premier Selinger
Students and families in Waverley West will soon benefit from a new, $30-million kindergarten to Grade 8 school and early learning child-care centre, Premier Greg Selinger announced today at the construction site of the new school.
“By investing in this new school, we are making Manitoba a better place for families and ensuring their children can receive a high-quality education in French and English closer to home in this rapidly growing area,” said Premier Selinger. “This school will be a focal point for the community and will help create smaller classes for students in nearby schools, ensuring they get the attention they need to succeed academically.”
The 96,648-sq.-ft. school is among the 35 new schools the Manitoba government has invested in since 1999 and will include an early learning and child-care centre for 114 infant, preschool and school-aged children with up to 2,000-sq.-ft. of early learning space, the premier said.
He added the project, targeted to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Standard for environmental sustainability, will help build infrastructure and grow the economy while creating up to 276 person years of employment, or jobs throughout its construction. The premier said investing in infrastructure is a key part of the Manitoba government’s economic plan to support steady growth and good jobs across the province.
The new school will accommodate 800 kindergarten to Grade 8 English and French immersion students. Enrolment in Pembina Trails School Division has increased by more than 300 students since 2010. Students attending the school will come from South Pointeand the surrounding areas.
“This new school will serve our students and community well not only as an educational institution, but as a meeting place for neighbours to connect,” said Tim Johnson, board chair, Pembina Trails School Division. “We’re pleased to place shovels in the ground and get this project officially started.”
The new school is the latest in a series of significant infrastructure investments by the Manitoba government to support small classes, the premier said. Since the start of the initiative, the government has invested more than $29 million to create and renovate 48 new classrooms, and worked with school divisions to hire more than 300 teachers.
Since 1999, the Manitoba government has invested more than $1 billion in public school capital projects including 35 new and replacement schools, as well as dozens of new gyms, science labs and shops classes across the province.
Construction of the new school began in April, and the project is expected to be complete in the 2016-17 school year, the premier noted.
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