Plans to modernize Notre Dame High School (NDHS) are officially a go after the Town of Bonnyille last week approved a proposed development permit application to expand the facility.
On hand at the meeting, Lakeland Catholic School District Superintendent Joe Arruda, backed by several LCSD and NDHS staff and board members, told council it was “absolutely imperative” the municipality approve the application so that work can finally begin on the ambitious modernization.
“This modernization was originally approved in principal in July 2001, almost 14 years ago,” Arruda told council. “If we delay this much longer, we will not meet our completion date and the students will be the ones to miss out.”
He added, “We need to focus on what this project means – bringing a state-of-the-art facility to the community that addresses any and all student concerns. I ask that council approve this permit so that we can move forward with the project without any further delays.”
Initially announced by local MLA Genia Leskiw at the start of 2014, the $10 million provincial project will see the school receive upgrades to its entrance, classrooms and safety systems, along with the construction of a new gymnasium and CTS room.
Highlighting the upgrades will be a new student gathering area, which will replace the school's current gym facility. This area will feature a first of its kind green living wall, and will encourage students to socialize and interact with one another; something Principal Pamela Guilbault feels is of the utmost importance.
“I think (the new gathering area) is so innovative and really aligned to inspiring education,” Guilbault told the Nouvelle late last year. “We know that students have different learning needs and we know that students excel when they have the opportunity to learn together. This is just one of the ways we can provide these opportunities to them.”
The new gymnasium on site will be regulation size according to Arruda, and will have more storage space for sports equipment and be connected to both boys' and girls' locker rooms – a huge improvement on the facility's current layout.
“Right now the boys' locker room is located on the second floor of the building, on top of the girls' locker room, so if we have any (male) students with mobility issues, they're not able to use (the room),” Arruda said. “This modernization will address that issue.”
The entire facility as it sits today actually doesn't meet provincial standards and regulations as it pertains to being fully accessible. The school does not have a working elevator, so those students, staff, or members of the public with mobility issues are not able get to the second floor.
That issue will also be addressed in this modernization, with Arruda stating the entire second floor of the facility will be removed, a move that will see the current administration office relocated to a new front entrance way.
The school is looking into the possibility of installing a new bus lane at the front of the building, with several new washrooms and an increased number of classrooms within the facility also on the agenda.
A new sprinkler system and central heating system will also be installed to bring the school's infrastructure up to standard.
The main issue the municipality had with the proposal was in relation to the number of on-site parking stalls at the school. The school currently offers 58 parking spots to its staff and students – 84 short of the 142 stalls the Town states the school is required to offer.
With the construction of a new parking lot off the table for now, it was suggested for NDHS to make use of the Town's parking lot beside Jessie Lake across from the school.
Town CAO Mark Power said administration would be “more than willing” to enter into negotiations with the school to figure out a solution regarding the necessary additional 84 parking stalls.
Coun. Lorna Storoschuk made the motion to approve the permit, pending 19 pre-set conditions laid out by Town administration. Several members of council indicated they would be happy to allow the school to use the adjacent parking lot.
The motion will now allow the school to move forward with its proposed modernization project. A decision over whether or not to allow the school to construct a new bus lane will come later this year pending a recommendation from the municipality's policing committee.
