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THESE STREETS WERE New schools MADE FOR WALKING announced
for Edmonton PROVINCIAL BUDGET
But trustees say more still needed Sarah Hoyles
For Metro | Edmonton
New online guide shows off Edmonton — on foot metroNEWS Sara Kalke is launching a new webtool to showcase Edmonton’s most walkable neighbourhoods. KEVIN TUONG/FOR METRO
Edmonton is getting three new schools — including one for rapidly-expanding Ellerslie — and five existing ones in the capital region are getting big bucks for replacement or upgrades. The provincial budget tabled last week outlined $500 million for new facilities, but the first details about where the new schools would be and which current ones would be upgraded were revealed Tuesday. Currently, only the design dollars have been approved but full construction funding is expected to come later, according to government officials.
Edmonton Public School Board Chair Michelle Draper called it great news for the district, but added that it still may not be enough to meet the demands of a growing population. “There was some excitement on the board for sure but we need more schools. There were so many years where we’ve gone without any new announcements,” she said. Three school buildings will be replaced entirely, including kindergarten to grade 12 Ecole Joseph Moreau in Hazeldean, Highlands Junior High in Northeast Edmonton, and Wye School in Sherwood Park. Ben Calf Robe School, in the north end, and Spruce Grove’s Woodhaven Junior High will be modernized along with six other schools in Drayton Valley, Bonnyville, Grande Prairie, Red Deer and Calgary. Improvements will include upgrades to the electrical and mechanical systems, as well as learning technology updates.