The province is investing $57.7 million into the Catholic faculty for Wasaga Seaside for 1,000 college students
Simcoe-Gray MPP Brian Saunderson introduced at present the province can be placing up $57.7 million for a brand new junior kindergarten to Grade 12 Catholic faculty in Wasaga Seaside.
Training minister Stephen Lecce joined Saunderson on the Wasaga Seaside Area and Library constructing for the announcement at present (Might 1).
“This can be a huge day!” mentioned Saunderson. “It has been a time to get right here, however definitely now that we’re right here, let’s transfer ahead as shortly as we are able to.”
Whereas there have been numerous teams advocating for a brand new highschool in Wasaga Seaside for no less than two municipal election phrases, the Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District College Board’s proposal for the JK-12 faculty went to the province within the fall of 2023.
“This motion to get highschool grades in Wasaga Seaside has been occurring for fairly some time and, transferring ahead, it is going to even be a problem as we take a look at the redevelopment of Collingwood Collegiate Institute,” mentioned Saunderson.
The board’s proposal envisioned the college adjoining to the brand new twin-pad area and library constructing and for shared amenities between the college and area/library.
Saunderson mentioned the board’s thought to leverage the brand new municipal asset helped make a gorgeous proposal for the province.
“They took the initiative to have a look at partnering and leveraging the asset right here, and put collectively a powerful enterprise case that basically made this undertaking soar off the web page,” mentioned Saunderson.
In accordance with the city, that college plan additionally consists of partnerships with Lakehead College and Canadore School for specialised programming focused to expert commerce professions in childcare, building, healthcare and hospitality.
The city has additionally confirmed the brand new faculty features a theatre facility for use by college students throughout the day and by the neighborhood on evenings and weekends.
The brand new faculty will embody 1,008 pupil areas and 49 licensed childcare areas in Wasaga Seaside and Lecce mentioned it must be constructed by 2027.
Shawn Cooper, the Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District College Board trustee for Clearview, Collingwood, Springwater, and Wasaga Seaside mentioned he felt like he wanted to be pinched to verify he wasn’t dreaming.
“It was extremely thrilling to witness the evolution of a undertaking like this,” mentioned Cooper, including it’s unprecedented for the native Catholic board.
“Not solely will this faculty tackle enrollment pressures at St. Noel Chabanel [Catholic School], it is going to additionally present this neighborhood with a much-needed highschool in order that college students should not have to journey outdoors Wasaga Seaside for faith-based studying.”
St. Noel college students have been on the announcement and the college choir sang O Canada to begin the occasion.
Lecce counseled the college board, municipality and MPP for his or her advocacy of the brand new faculty.
“I do know extra about this undertaking than I ever signed up for,” jested Lecce. “However that simply speaks to the quantity of advocacy and the eagerness that you’ve got.”
The minister mentioned it is a “historic funding” for publicly funded schooling in Wasaga Seaside and mentioned it was one of many largest faculties introduced on this spherical of capital funding.
Whereas JK-12 faculties usually are not unprecedented, they’re extra uncommon than the standard highschool or elementary faculty fashions. Lecce mentioned the Catholic faculty board proposed the mixed faculty.
“We have to constructed a contemporary faculty on this neighborhood,” mentioned Lecce. “A variety of Ok-12 faculties, particularly in rising components of rural Ontario turn into extra widespread … we’ll help any undertaking that delivers fashionable schooling to children and will get higher state-of-the-art faculty with STEM studying to communities within the smallest cities of Ontario.”
“We agree we have to construct extra faculties,” mentioned Lecce, promising to collaborate with faculty boards.
The province has dedicated to supply about $16 billion to help new faculty building, restore and renewal over a ten-year interval.
The brand new Catholic faculty doesn’t, in accordance with Saunderson and Lecce, take a public highschool off the desk.
“Brian [Saunderson] and I sit up for returning to the complete driving … I guarantee you … we can be again,” mentioned Lecce.
“We have at all times obtained our sleeves rolled up and it is a in a short time rising neighborhood,” mentioned Saunderson, referring to a necessity for redevelopment of Collingwood’s highschool. “Now we have to determine how that enterprise case goes collectively. So the discussions are ongoing for positive.”
