The target opening date of Sarnia's new Gregory A. Hogan school has been delayed to Spring 2024.
The original construction schedule called for the new building to be turned over to the St. Clair Catholic District School Board (SCCDSB) in December, but trustees have now been told to expect the keys sometime early in the new year.
Director of Education Scott Johnson said some essential building materials have been delayed.
"One of them is the windows, which is pretty important when we're putting a new school together," said Johnson. "As a result, we're going to have to delay the timeline for which we can move students into the school."
Johnson said the board now expects to receive the keys by January 31.
"To be honest, I'm grateful this is the only delay that we have. Given the world of logistics, materials and supplies following COVID -- to be delayed by just a few months -- we see it as a success," he said.
School set up and move-in would occur from February 1 to March 15, and the new school opening date would be March 18.
"When students return from March Break, they'll walk into a brand new facility that will be really well set up, because we will have had -- at that point -- two months without staff or students there to get the building ready," Johnson said.
The elementary school is being built on The Rapids Parkway for just over $24 million and includes 659-pupil places.
"[The cost] increased on two different occasions. Both times, we reached out to the Minister of Education and said that we can't build the school that we designed for the dollars that you've given us and the ministry has been understanding, and generous, and provided us with the full $24.2 million that we needed to build the current facility," Johnson said.
Funding was also secured for a $3 million dollar five-room childcare centre.
The licensing process for the childcare will begin at the end of March 2024 with an opening date to be announced by London Bridge Child Care at a later date.
"I walk by it every week and I'm amazed at how beautiful it's going to be," Johnson said. "It will be the largest elementary school in our system and the flagship for Catholic education in Sarnia. We appreciate the patience from staff and families in the delay, but we do believe that the wait will be worth it."