Errol Village Public School in Camlachie will soon be able to accommodate more students thanks to a $3.8 million investment from the Ontario government.
The money will go toward the construction of two classrooms, with 46 additional student spaces, and three new childcare rooms with 49 licensed childcare spaces.
Lambton Kent District School Board Superintendent of Business Brian McKay said the need is increasing as the community expands.
"We are having enrollment pressures at the school," said McKay. "We currently have one portable (classroom) and are anticipating the need for a second portable at the school based on enrollment. The two classroom additions will allow us to add on those two classrooms as opposed to us putting students into an increasing number of portables at the school. On the childcare portion of the application, we worked with the County of Lambton who identified that there was a need for childcare spaces within the Camlachie community. So, they were supportive as well and identified the need for that three classroom childcare space."
McKay said the board is currently assessing the site with their architects and will be entering into the design phase in the next month or so.
The design process is expected to take a few months followed by the awarding of a tender. It's not yet known whether construction will begin this fall or in the spring of 2023, based on the weather.
The project is part of a provincewide investment of nearly $500 million to support new school and childcare spaces that were recently announced.
"We are building new schools, building more affordable child care spaces, and building hope and opportunity for Ontario students as they learn in more normal and safer classrooms," said Ontario Education Minister Stephen Lecce. "We believe that students deserve to learn in-person in state-of-the-art facilities that are internet connected, accessible, with modern ventilation systems, which is why our government is delivering a major investment that accelerates construction to get it done for parents, students, and communities."
The funding will add nearly 15,700 new student spaces and 1,502 licensed child care spaces at schools across Ontario.