District 18 unveils drawings for Albert Street school replacement
By GLENNA HANLEY
For The Daily Gleaner
Published Thursday September 20th, 2007
Appeared on page A5
With the construction of Kimble Park School weeks away, disappointed residents of the old Alberta Street Middle School neighbourhood are turning their attention to the future.
Advertisement
Parents such as Marylou McKenna, the former chairwoman of Albert Street's parent-school support committee, said it's time to recognize the changing demographics of an aging neighbourhood.
"People are seeing the benefits now and putting their differences aside and seeing what's best for the kids," said McKenna who has served on the committee for six years.
McKenna was among a small but steady stream of residents to attend an open house Wednesday night at the Albert Street school where education officials displayed drawings of what its replacement will look like.
"The new school is so needed and it's going to be so beneficial for the children that I am beyond any sadness," McKenna said,
Parents in the Kimble Drive area are jumping for joy at the prospects of having the new facility within walking distance of their homes.
"My daughter is just starting Grade 5. She'll be in that school and it is just a hop, skip and a jump away," said Patsy Williams.
She said there are lots of young families in her area to fill the facility designed for 650 students.
Albert Street school had been serving increasing numbers of children bused in from other areas, such as Lincoln and New Maryland.
Susan Price from Hanwell Road, another parent excited about the new school, said a few minutes more on the bus to Kimble Drive won't make much difference for her children.
"I'm just excited to see the kids get into a new school because this one is worn out," said Price.
Contracts for the site work and construction of the 7,288-square-metre facility will be announced next week along with the price tag for the 21-classroom school.
Architect Robert Phillips believes construction can get underway by late October for a tentative completion date in spring 2009.
Exactly how the school will impact the existing park and its tennis courts, soccer and ball field isn't clear.
The district has a few details to hammer out with the city which built the park, said District 18 Supt. Alex Dingwall.
"Right now we have to sit down with the city. We have one soccer field and we would like a second one," said Dingwall. But as with other school sites, the school will have priority use during school hours.
A large stand of trees will be removed to accommodate the school but a popular walking trail at the back will remain and may be extended, said Dingwall.
A major improvement from the current school will be a bus parking area. It will accommodate nine or 10 buses at once and won't disrupt local traffic as occurs on Albert Street, said Phillips.
