Construction planned for 5 P.E.I. schools to address overcrowding

Construction at five P.E.I. schools is now underway to create space and deal with population growth in response to overcrowding in some elementary schools.

'It would have been nice to have it a year ago but this is ... you know we're on the right path'

CBC News · Posted: Feb 12, 2019 8:00 PM EST | Last Updated: February 13, 2019

'The school populations in the Charlottetown area are generally growing and growing fairly rapidly' says Jordan Brown. (Laura Meader/CBC)

Construction at some P.E.I. schools is now underway to create space and deal with overcrowding

There are five schools with big construction plans in the works including Stratford Elementary, L.M. Montgomery Elementary, West Royalty Elementary, Sherwood Elementary and École-Sur-Mer — the French school in Summerside.

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According to a news release from the province, construction at Stratford, West Royalty and L.M Montgomery Elementary will provide 34 more classrooms and space for 640 more students at these schools.

Sherwood Elementary is being replaced at a cost of $19 million, the release said, and a $5.7 million addition will be made at École-Sur-Mer for more classrooms, space and to allow high school programming.

"I think it was needed, it's very timely, it would have been nice to have it a year ago but this is ... you know we're on the right path," said Heather Cudmore, principal at L.M. Montgomery Elementary.

"It really is needed and we're glad that it's coming forth."

Room for growth

The expansion at L.M. Montgomery will add 10 classrooms, an activity space, staff lounge, washrooms and more.

"It will give us some room for growth," she said.

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The school is over capacity now — with around 450 students — and they've needed more space for about three years, said Cudmore.

"The school populations in the Charlottetown area are generally growing and growing fairly rapidly and so that's the case at each of the schools that are under construction right now," said Jordan Brown, the province's minister of education.

Jordan Brown, the province's minister of education, says construction projects underway will allow for more space and accommodate more children who may enrol in the future. (Laura Meader/CBC)

The construction projects underway will allow for more space and accommodate more children who may enrol in the future, he said.

But the construction still has people like Lindy McQuillan wondering if better and quicker planning is still needed from the province.

'Better planning needed'

"Absolutely more needs to be done, all the needs haven't been taken care of," said McQuillan, who is a member of the Stratford Elementary Home and School Association.

"In the Charlottetown family of schools we still have have overcrowding that needs to be dealt with."