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Photo by Curtis Galbraith.
By Curtis Galbraith
Schools

Two school divisions awaiting reports on value scoping sessions

Dec 6, 2023 | 6:00 AM

Grande Prairie Public School Division officials are awaiting a consultant’s report after a recent value scoping session for Crystal Park School.

Superintendent Sandy McDonald says the idea behind having the two-day session was to look at what is possible.

“What are the needs of the school? What are the limitations of the school? What would a renovation look like, or a modernization look like?”

“They’re in the process of compiling all of the work that came out of those two days.”

McDonald says the division is not expecting that report until just before or just after the Christmas break.

“We’ll be taking that report back to our committee and look at what it says and what the potential impact may be on other schools in the surrounding area, what other options might have been presented as potential recommendations by the report writers.”

McDonald adds Crystal Park “is an exceptional school” with no structural issues that impacts safety or learning.

“But the infrastructure, the mechanical layout, the heating, ventilation systems, those sorts of things, they are basically the same systems that have been in place since the school was built over 40 years ago.”

McDonald says this makes Crystal Park inefficient when it comes to the cost of energy.

He adds there is no urgent need to replace or modernize the school right away but there is one in the long term.

McDonald says Crystal Park was built to house students with what he calls more complex needs, but he adds these students now attend schools across Grande Prairie.

PRSD

A value scoping session was also held earlier this fall in Fairview.

The Peace River School Division says they are waiting for a report as well.

After the report comes, the division will talk to Grande Prairie & District Catholic Schools and Northwestern Polytechnic about a joint proposal that will go to the provincial government.

by Curtis Galbraith