New schools in southwest London, Woodstock flagged as TVDSB capital priorities

Growth along the edges of municipal boundaries in London and Woodstock are leading to pressing needs for new schools in the Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB), according a report presented to trustees this week. 

The 138-page report is a comprehensive account of how growth in some pockets of the massive area served by the board is creating new capital needs while schools in other areas are seeing stagnant or falling enrollment. 

The report says enrollment in elementary schools is expected to increase by an average of 1.8 per cent between 2021 and the 2025-2026 school year. 

The report lists five priority capital projects, all in the elementary stream where current enrollment pressures are greatest. These capital projects have been sent to the education ministry and flagged as the board's top priorities for capital funding. 

They include: 

1. Renovation, addition at Eagle Heights Public School. At a benchmark cost of $7.3 million this project would add 14 new classrooms and two additional resource rooms to the school on Oxford Street West. Right now, Eagle Heights has 12 portables and one porta-pak classroom, which includes six classroom spaces. Designed for 680 students but currently serving 960, Eagle Heights is currently operating at 141 per cent capacity.
    
2. New elementary school in southwest London. Growth pressures created by new subdivisions here have students in certain pockets being sent to four schools outside the catchment area. Meanwhile, Lambeth Public School is operating at 123 per cent capacity. The new school would include 804 student spaces, 88 child care spaces and have a benchmark cost of $19.5 million.
    
3. New elementary school in north Woodstock. Growth outside of the core area of Woodstock has enrollment projected to grow by 2.3 per cent a year in elementary schools and 3.2 per cent in secondary. A new elementary school in north Woodstock would accommodate 660 news students and cost $16.5 million. 
    
4.  Wilberforce Public School addition, renovation. This upgrade would add seven classroom spaces and 222 new student spaces to this Lucan elementary school, bringing its total capacity to 683 students. The benchmark cost is pegged at $4.3 million. 
    
5. New school in Riverbend, London. Growth pressures in this area west of Byron have the TVDSB calling for funding for a new elementary school with capacity for 507 students, at a benchmark cost of $13.7 million. The report points to "persistent over-utilization" of schools in Byron with a deficit of about 375 students spaces expected by 2025 if the status quo is maintained. 

Portable use

The report said 289 total portables spaces are in use across the TVDSB, and more than half are over 30 years old. The report said ongoing repairs and upgrades are keeping them in service because "the board has not had adequate opportunities to continue decommissioning an aging portable inventory."

And while growth in many areas the board serves is putting pressure on enrollment capacity, other schools are earmarked for potential "facility collaborations" in the report. This means the school spaces can be rented out to other groups or municipalities for other uses, although in Tuesday's board meeting staff said the uptake isn't high. 

Schools flagged for facility collaborations in the report include:

• Ealing PS
• Knollwood Park PS
• Montcalm SS
• Clarke Road SS
• Westminster SS
• North Middlesex DHS
• Delaware Central PS
• Glencoe DHS
• Ingersoll DCI
• Arthur Voaden SS
• West Elgin SS