The Province approved 16 of the 20 portables Rocky View Schools (RVS) requested for the 2013/2014 school year.
The announcement, made at the RVS board of trustees’ meeting, March 7, was met with excited delight by trustees.
“I am thrilled for the division that we are going to be getting all these portables,” said Bev LaPeare.
The announcement was expected before Christmas, said John Wheatley, director of facility planning for RVS, adding the information was leaked to him through an email from the province on March 1.
Cochrane’s Mitford School will be receiving six of the eight classrooms RVS requested last November, bringing the schools capacity rate down from an expected 103 per cent to 95.5 per cent.
Airdrie’s Nose Creek will receive both requested portables, bringing the school’s capacity level down from 111 per cent to 109 per cent.
Airdrie’s Herons Crossing received two portables, bringing capacity from an expected 76.1 per cent to 74.1 per cent. AE Bowers school will receive two portables bringing the capacity from an expected 101 per cent to 95 per cent.
Airdrie Middle will get two portables bringing the total from 96 per cent to 91 per cent, and Airdrie’s Muriel Clayton will receive two portables bringing the 109 per cent to 105 per cent.
The Province did not provide the portables requested for Rainbow Creek Elementary School in Chestermere, which will reach nearly 98 per cent capacity in September.
RVS also learned they will be responsible for 50 per cent of the installation costs of the portables, approximately $440,000. The money will come from cash reserves.
Trustee Thomas said the Province allocated 40 per cent of its new portable supply to RVS.
“We haven’t always been so successful (with our requests),” said Thomas.
“We will take it and maybe complain a little less in the future. It’s a very crucial step forward, this addresses the accommodation crisis.”
