This news was understandably buried yesterday, but the release of provincial spending priorities includes the following that will impact our core neighbourhoods:
"In Saskatoon, the report includes funding to consolidate Princess Alexandra, King George and Pleasant Hill elementary schools into a new school."
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saska...toon-1.5502618
I'm curious which site this new district school will be built on, but my guess would be Princess Alexandra or Pleasant Hill given that they're more centrally located. Losing Princess Alexandra to demolition would be no love lost from me (the heritage school on that site is long gone), but it begs the question what the future of the other two beautiful old school buildings will be? I really hope that they can both be saved and repurposed (King George especially).
And while it is very good news that these neighbouhoods will be seeing this public investment in a new facility and (I assume) improved programming and services, I am a bit weary about the province's approach with these "super schools", especially when integrating them into these older neighbourhoods where these small schools serve as essential anchors of neighbourhood units. I understand that there are probably all sorts of economies of scale and efficiencies realized with this approach, but it seems like there's something lost with losing this scattering of smaller schools.
A final thought: They need to invest in good architecture for this school. The aesthetic of the suburban jailhouse schools will not do.