Families in Langdon have received more good news about the development of a junior/senior high school for the hamlet.
In a May 11 press release, Rocky View Schools (RVS) confirmed the public school district has received a funding confirmation for the school’s construction from the Alberta government. The announcement comes after the provincial government provided funding for the building’s design last fall.
“Our board is very pleased to receive capital approval for the construction of this much needed school,” RVS Board Chair Fiona Gilbert said in a statement. “Having received design funding in October 2019, we look forward to getting our new school built in order to provide middle and high school education for the students who live in Langdon and area.”
Despite boasting a population of more than 5,000 people, Langdon does not have its own high school. Langdon residents have been advocating for a high school to be built in the hamlet for years, arguing it is one of the largest communities in Alberta to not have one.
Langdon currently has two schools – Sarah Thompson Elementary School for students in kindergarten to Grade 5, and Langdon School, which serves students from kindergarten to Grade 9.
For grades 10 through 12, students are bussed to Chestermere High School, roughly 13 kilometres west. But with recent population growth in both Langdon and Chestermere, the school has experienced capacity pressures in recent years.
One reason for this, according to Gilbert, is student growth in Langdon has increased considerably, climbing by 20 per cent over the last five years. With two future neighbourhoods approved for development, rapid growth is expected to continue.
She added the Ministry of Education intends for construction to begin in fall 2021, with the school opening in 2024. The location of the new school in Langdon has already been determined – a 40-acre plot of land that is already serviced behind the Buy-Low Foods on Railway Avenue West.
“Given enrolment pressures on the east side of RVS, we will be working to complete our design phase as soon as possible so that we can move into construction in a timely manner,” Gilbert said.
Chrissy Craig, chair of the Langdon Community Association, said she was ecstatic to receive news of the funding announcement, as were the students who will ultimately attend the new school.
“The kids are just thrilled,” she said. “It was told to the Grade 6 class – my daughter is in Grade 6 – and they’re the ones who will potentially be the first class in that high school. They were just ecstatic, because they’ll be the first grade to do kindergarten to Grade 12 in Langdon, and not have to go elsewhere.”
According to RVS, the new school, which will serve students from grades 7 to 12, will have an initial capacity of 900 students, with the potential to expand to 1,200 in the future.
“I think that’s perfect to start with,“ Craig said. “This is a high school for the future – not just something to solve this problem right now. It’s one the community can grow into, as we know there are a couple of developments happening soon.
“It’s a relief that they’re looking at this is a future-forward way instead of solving a problem that is already here.”
Considering Langdon is also pushing for a community recreation centre to be built, Craig said there is the potential to combine the projects.
“We just got $100,000 in design funding from Rocky View County to put towards the design of the rec centre, which would hopefully be conjoined with the high school,” she said.
Scott Strasser, AirdrieToday.com
Follow me on Twitter @scottstrasser19
