For the sixth straight year, Holy Trinity Catholic School Division is submitting the same two infrastructure projects to the Ministry of Education in hopes of receiving funding to pursue them.
The ministry’s infrastructure branch has asked all 27 school divisions to submit their top capital project priorities for consideration for the 2023-24 fiscal year.
During their recent board meeting, trustees with Holy Trinity submitted two projects: one at École St. Margaret School to replace all six portables with new ones and update the main building’s exterior and another at St. Michael Community School to build a new school in the West Park subdivision.
The cost of replacing the six portable classrooms is pegged at $5.1 million, while building a new school costs between $13 million and $20 million.
Trustees have submitted these two projects for consideration since 2016. This year, division administration updated enrolment projections at each school and increased projected costs by 15 per cent due to supply chain issues and inflationary pressures.
St. Margaret School
The exterior of the main building and the six relocatable classrooms have exceeded their life expectancy, a board report said. While the stucco finish is cracking everywhere, more concerning is that water is infiltrating into the building and causing the vapour barrier to fail, structural damage, and mould and heat loss.
Furthermore, the school has major drainage problems complicated by low elevation of the foundation and main floor. This will require site grading and a new drainage system to improve water flow. The adjacent sidewalks also need to be removed and realigned with a new grading plan.
Meanwhile, the six portable classrooms need to be replaced with either six new units or “a suitable addition to the facility,” the report continued. The units have no moisture barrier and lack proper ventilation, which has led to concerns about mould, air quality and floor deterioration.
“The wall and window conditions are similar to the existing facility and the six rooftop (heating/cooling) units have reached the end of their lifecycle. Replacement cost (of those units) could reach the $230,000 range once all required access walkways are added,” the report noted.
A renovation or addition would allow staff and students to “enjoy all the possibilities provided by a 21st-century learning environment,” the report said. Collaborative learning centres and commons areas with classroom breakout spaces would provide flexible learning that the ministry is mandating through its curriculum renewal.
The report added that the projected school enrolment in 2027-28 is 179 students.
St. Michael School
St. Michael School was constructed in 1956 and added eight additions between 1958 and 1988. However, a board report said the existing structure is passed its lifecycle and requires immediate replacement. Major structural deficiencies include cracks in the foundation and shifting and cracking in the exterior gym walls.
The report lists six other concerns, such as the washrooms being undersized and not meeting health codes; existing ventilation systems providing minimal support; the size of the office, gym and library hamper educational programming; and the current site is 4.29 acres with no adjacent green space.
A new school is needed in northwest Moose Jaw to accommodate future growth, and while the current site cannot accommodate a new school, a joint-use school with Prairie South could be possible since it has sites that are 10 acres in size.
The report added that the projected school enrolment in 2027-28 is 266 students.
The next Holy Trinity board meeting is Monday, March 14.
