Last Updated: Tuesday - 01/04/2011

Edmonton to get 5 new Catholic schools

EDMONTON — Edmonton Catholic Schools will receive $35 million to build five new schools and renovate several others.

Infrastructure Minister Ty Lund and Learning Minister Lyle Oberg announced the long-awaited funding June 20 at the Provincial Museum.

The money will be used to build new Catholic schools in the inner city as well as in Edmonton's expanding southwest, southeast, west end and north side.

The government has allotted $67 million for building new schools and renovation of other facilities in Edmonton. This is part of the province's $1 billion New Century Schools Plan.

"The government is generous and awarded us more than what we asked for," Catholic schools superintendent Dale Ripley told WCR.

The Catholic board had asked for about $31 million but the government granted an extra $4 million to enhance the facilities of the proposed new schools.

The government added a Career and Technology Lab to the proposed Callingwood junior/senior high school at 178th Street and 69th Avenue.

"We did not include in our proposal the purchase of expensive modules and equipment for the lab but we were asked to have them available for the new school," Ripley said.

The lab will give students exposure to different technological careers like aircraft technology, electronic technology, meteorology among others.

"This will forward our mission of providing the highest quality Catholic education to the citizens of this city," said Debbie Engel, chair of the Catholic school board.

"It is our time to dance and our time to build," said Engel.

Catholic Schools currently have 84 schools, 1,700 teachers and 32,000 students. With the building of new schools those numbers will go up.

The Catholic board has partnered with Sobey's West to develop Callingwood junior/ senior high school in conjunction with a Garden Market IGA, the first joint venture of its kind in Alberta.

Having IGA on the same site and building "students will be given the opportunity to gain work experience that can help develop life skills such as teamwork, responsibility and a strong work ethic," said Infrastructure Minister Lund.

The $11.1-million Callingwood school will accommodate 1,000 students.

The Catholic board's other proposed schools are:

• Terwillegar/Riverbend junior high for 400 students, worth $5.7 million.
• A replacement school for St. Michael in the inner city, worth $3.3 million for 225 students.
• A $4.6 million elementary school for 325 students in the north end Lake District/Pilot Sound.
• A junior high in the southeast Meadows worth $5.5 million, for 350 students.

When the funds are made available, the Catholic board will begin the work for the construction of these five new schools.

"We hope that in two years, that will be fall 2003, the schools will be operational," said Ripley.

The school district has not identified which schools it will renovate, he said.

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