P.E.I. government unveils design plans for new Évangéline Education Centre

The provincial government announced the design for the new Évangéline Education Centre in Abram-Village, a replacement for the community's storm-damaged school.

P.E.I. Education Minister Rob Lantz said the original idea was to repair and renovate the community's existing school, École Évangéline, which was heavily damaged during post-tropical storm Fiona in 2022.

As the planning process went on, he said staff realized it would be better to build a brand new school.

The new Évangéline Education Centre will be built on the same site as the existing school. It will hold 225 school-aged students, 56 preschool children in its early years centre, and 15 students enrolled in before and after-school care programs.

The plans also include an Acadian and francophone arts and culture centre, a public library and a daycare.

"This is not just a school. This will be a place where the whole francophone Acadian community can gather," Lantz said.

"There's a lot of different interests and we want to make sure that the building included all of the amenities that all those different groups need."

The project is estimated to cost $54.3 million, with both the provincial and federal governments contributing funding. Construction is expected to start in the summer, with plans to open for the 2028 school year.

"I think that it was worth the time and effort to get here and we're ready to start digging," Lantz said.

Students' ideas being used in project designs

Gilles Arsenault, the minister responsible for Acadian and francophone affairs in P.E.I., said there have been many meetings and consultations to finalize the design of the new education centre. 

"It's going to be used quite a bit and it will be the anchor of the community. As it is now, but with a new and modern look and feel to it," Arsenault said. 

Some students at École Évangéline got the chance to share their own ideas about what the new school should look like and how it could be a better place to learn.

Grade 10 student Charlee Casey will have graduated by the time the school opens, but she said it's really nice to know the students had a say in the project.

"It's just nice to see the plan has actually started and going and they're doing a really good job on it," she said.

Arsenault said school is based on students being happy and comfortable in the building and environment they're in.

"We often forget to have the voice of the young people coming in, because they have great ideas and great ways of developing their own environment," he said.

"It is something that was very important to us to make sure their voice [was] heard. And not only heard, but also implement the changes that they were recommending."