Upon completion, the expansion underway at Bow Valley High School will open the door to additional educational opportunities for its students.
On Sept. 26, the officially sod-turning took place for the project that got underway this summer. It's scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2026.
Rocky View Schools (RVS) officials say once completed it will add 485 student spaces to the core building. The school currently has 986 students, 66 more than its official capacity.
Alberta Infrastructure minister Peter Guthrie rattled off the list of improvements that are part of the $55.1 million project. The CTS division will accommodate small engine mechanics, metal fabrications, carpentry, cosmetology, drama, fashion, foods and a weight room. Inside the main building will be new music and art rooms, computer labs, learning common, outdoor courtyard and a new gymnasium.
"With the expansion here at Bow Valley, I'm sure that this is going to spur increased competitiveness on the athletic side while helping to attract high quality staff wishing to live and work in this amazing region," said Guthrie.
Guthrie has been involved in several sod-turnings and opening celebrations of late and has many more on the horizon, but this one in his hometown holds special meaning.
He was first elected MLA in 2019 and says RVS officials were pushing for project to receive funding approval.
"This project is one that Rocky View brought forward every year," he said in an interview afterward. "So, it's great be able not only to be MLA for the area to be able to deliver, but to be a minister of Infrastructure to have this groundbreaking. It feels really good."
Education minister Demetrios Nicolaides believed it was important to attend.
"They're important for the school community, they're important to the students, and they're important for the families, so I want to do a small part by participating."
Just last week, alongside Guthrie he announced a school construction accelerator program to build new schools and modernize others in a three-year $8.6 billion program.
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Cochrane has another shovel-ready site in Heartland, but it's not alone. Many other communities and school divisions have the same, and are hoping to become part of the accelerator program.
Minister Nicolaides says they have received 422 requests from school divisions across the province that they're going to be evaluating. Key to the projects selected are enrolment pressure and utilization rate.
"The ones in Cochrane, Airdrie, Edmonton, and Calgary are very good candidates, because that's where we're seeing the most demand."
RVS board chair Fiona Gilbert gave a shout out to students attending the ceremony.
"I want to tell you this because you might not realize it, but your part of the team, too, and you're here to remind us why we are doing this expansion, and why we are renovating this school."
She said a few years ago, a group of students helped with the design of the expansion and their ideas were incorporated into the design.
"At Rocky View Schools, we aspire to be a world-class learning organization where all students achieve their absolute best and we know that having adequate and modernized places for children to learn is a critical component, and I can assure you that the board will continue to advocate for new and modernized spaces to meet the needs of our students and our communities."
Upon completion, School principal Shane Dempster says it will create further CTS opportunities for their students.
"This whole expansion is just going to be an amazing opportunity for the kids to have actual facilities because right now we have makeshift facilities. The have a full shop with a lift, with welding bays, with woodworking, and then having proper cosmos and food areas, it's just what our kids, what my kids deserve."
While they've had to make some adjustments during construction, Dempster says the students have been malleable.
"They're excited for it. The grade 12s are a little upset because they're not going to get to see the final product, but I think there's a lot of excitement about what next year's going to look like, and then what's the next year going to look like."
Bow Valley parents and students have been provided a schedule of what to expect over the next two years.
- During Phase One, the majority of the work is being done external to the existing school building.
- Phase Two begins February/March 2025. During this phase, work will be begin on the Learning Commons and interior courtyard.
- Phase Three involves construction of new classroom space and modernization of existing classrooms. Completion of the courtyard will also take place during this phase which begins July/August 2025
- Phase Four begins December 2025/January 2026. The existing gymnasium and music room will be demolished and construction to increase the size of these spaces will begin.
