The Greater Essex County District School Board has been given the green light to move forward on three construction projects.
At the Giles Campus Friday morning, Chatham-Kent-Leamington MPP Rick Nicholls announced funding of $34.5 million for previously announced projects would be forwarded.
"It's a very significant move, we have to be able to get at moving these construction projects forward," said Director of Education Erin Kelly.
The announcement included the approval of the design for the $19.3 million new Giles French Immersion Public School, $12.3 million for the new Prince Andrew School in LaSalle and finally, a $3.7 million addition to Essex Public School for new childcare spaces.
"Without that approval from the ministry, we can't proceed. Also, all the time that we are waiting for that money, it isn't worth as much. So, in other words, the longer the waiting for this tender process takes, the longer we're delayed, and then, of course, our funding is affected," said Kelly.
The new Giles Campus French Immersion public school will be located on Mercer Street. The construction tender should take around six weeks to fill. Once that process is complete, it could take 12-15 months to finish construction.
The new Prince Andrew School, to be named Legacy Oak Trail Public School, will take around a year to complete. It will be located on the east side of Judy Recker Crescent and will be accessed from a new street to be constructed off Laurier Parkway. The Ministry of Education announced funding for the school in October 2016. It will accommodate approximately 420 students.
The addition to Essex Public School was initially announced in January 2018. The board has now received approval on the design to move forward on the project. It should take around eight months to complete.
