Just like a big class assignment, building a school requires planning far ahead.
Okotoks town council gave second reading on Feb. 27 for one of two possible school sites in the yet-to-be developed 280-acre D’Arcy Ranch area, just north of No Frills.
The two school sites are 17.15 acres which includes playgrounds (see map).
However, a familiar obstacle — water — prevented council from giving final reading.
Designating the land for future schools was good news, said Foothills School Division superintendent of schools John Bailey.
“I think this is demonstrating the Foothills School Division’s efforts to approach things as a team,” said Bailey, after the trustees public meeting on March 1. “We started a regional planning committee with the Town of Okotoks, the MD (of Foothills), Christ the Redeemer (Catholic Schools), the Francophone board a little over a year ago.
“The purpose was to plan for schools in and around Okotoks. It’s great to see some of the fruits of the work.”
The designation of new school sites comes on the heels of a brouhaha a year ago when the division made plans to build a high school in the Aldersyde area because there were no school sites in Okotoks’ boundary.
The Town was able to purchase land along 32 Street – across from Holy Trinity Academy – for a proposed K-Grade 9 school for the public system (the new school is scheduled to open in September 2018). As well there is room for a high school and Town facilities at the 32 Street site, known as the Wedderburn land.
The plans for the D’Arcy area are so preliminary there has been no designation for which potential site would be designated for which school division.
However, better to start planning a project well in advance, according to Scott Morrison, CTR Catholic, superintendent of schools.
“At the plans I have seen for Wedderburn, D’Arcy and beyond, they have sufficient school sites for all of those plans,” Morrison said. “It’s very forward thinking and we are delighted they are making this a priority.”
He said it’s been a team effort with the various stakeholders, but added the public system took a lead role.
“Foothills took some leadership in getting the different stakeholders together,” Morrison said. “A year or so ago when there were the issues of Foothills looking for sites rather urgently, it was at that time we started to see the grand plan for all the different areas. In every area, I could see school sites and in some instances multiple sites. That’s great.”
CTR Catholic is in the midst of its capital plan process. A new school in Okotoks is not on the immediate horizon. The opening of the K-Grade 7 St. Francis of Assisi Academy in Davisburg last fall alleviated enrolment pressure at the separate school system’s Okotoks schools, particularly at the K-Grade 6 Good Shepherd School.
Morrison said St. Francis Academy neighbouring Foothills’ Heritage Heights School, demonstrates sharing space would not be an issue at D’Arcy.
“We want our on facility so we can permeate it with faith, but in terms of sharing parking lots, playgrounds, we don’t have an issue, especially with Foothills, seeing how well we partner with them.”
Morrison added having a site in place allows communication with the Province in regards to new schools.
Michael MacIntyre, Okotoks development services director, said giving second reading is a pro-active move by council.
“We want to streamline the process,” MacIntyre said. “Make sure the school division — whether it is FSD or Christ the Redeemer — that they are in a position when they talk to the Province, they can say, ‘we are as close to being shovel ready as we can be’ without stepping over the lines in terms of assurance that water is available.
He said council did not give third reading due to a water concerns. MacIntyre said there are a number of ways to resolve the water issue.
“When that happens, third reading will simply require a motion of council, since the public hearing was already dealt with (on Feb. 27).”
