Ground has been broken on Oakville's newest elementary school.
The Halton District School Board officially kicked off construction on a new $30 million North Oakville elementary school at a ceremony on June 2.
The badly needed school is "targeted to open for the 2024-2025 school year," says the board. It will add 788 new pupil spaces for kindergarten to Grade 8 students in the rapidly growing community north of Dundas Street.
The school will be built at 1235 Wheat Boom Drive, between Eighth and Ninth Lines.
It aims to ease the crunch at other area schools. Nearby Dr. David R. Williams elementary school currently has 1,300 students and 24 portables and is redirecting incoming students to Palermo public school.
"As the Oakville community continues to experience tremendous growth, this school will alleviate enrollment pressure at other Oakville elementary schools," says trustee Margo Shuttleworth, who chairs the public school board.
In December, trustees approved a plan to launch a boundary review to determine which students can attend the new school.
The three-storey school will have an open-concept library, music room, stage and double gym, as well as air conditioning. Five childcare rooms will accommodate services for up to 88 infants, toddlers and preschoolers.
The groundbreaking ceremony brought together school board trustees, staff, local politicians and area residents and students.
"We are determined to build schools and expansions faster, part of our commitment to modernize schools in fast-growing communities," said Stephen Lecce, Ontario's minister of education, who attended the ceremony.
"We are proud to deliver a new, state-of-the-art Oakville Northeast #3 elementary school for local families, along with increasing funding, staffing and tutoring to help ensure students graduate with confidence that they can succeed in good-paying careers."
The school board has awarded the architectural tender to Hossack & Associates Architects Inc. of Mississauga and the construction contract to Everstrong Construction of Georgetown.