A new junior-senior high school slated for Langdon is on the list of five high schools the Alberta government has invited private companies to build and manage through a public-private partnership.
According to a press release from Alberta's Ministry of Infrastructure, a request for qualifications (RFQ) for the public-private partnership bundle is now listed on Alberta Purchasing Connection – an online tool that allows public and private sector users to manage, advertise, distribute and download public purchasing opportunities for goods, services and construction initiatives.
“I am pleased to see these five high school projects continue to move forward,” Minister of Education Adriana LaGrange stated in the release. “These future schools will provide modern learning environments for their students and I am excited that we are another step closer towards getting shovels in the ground.”
A public-private partnership – commonly called a P3 – is a funding model that divides the building and maintenance costs of capital infrastructure projects costing more than $100 million between government and private contractors. According to a statement from the Ministry of Infrastructure, the contractor will design, build, finance and provide a 30-year maintenance warranty on the five schools. At the end of the 30 year period, the schools will be in good condition and the local school boards will likely take over maintenance.
“We have a successful track record of delivering much-needed school infrastructure using P3s,” Prasad Panda, Minister of Infrastructure, said in the statement. “We know P3s offer value for money and we are confident this is the best method to provide these five communities with new high schools.”
However, when it comes to schools, P3s have a controversial history in Langdon, according to Chrissy Craig, the chair of the Langdon Community Association (LCA).
“P3s can be a bit of a struggle, sometimes, just because the costs are a bit higher,” said Craig, who has played a key role in the advocacy efforts to bring a high school to Langdon. “There’s a higher maintenance requirement with a P3 school, because of the partnership, and that can lead to limits for community use and things like that.”
Fortunately, Craig said, a joint-use agreement is already in place between Rocky View Schools (RVS) and Rocky View County to allow for community use at the new school. Because of this agreement, she said local sports teams, drama clubs and other community groups will be able to rent space at the facility, whether it’s the gymnasium, a classroom, the drama room or even the kitchen.
“As long as you have a willing school district and a community that’s willing to work within the parameters, P3 schools can work really well,” she said.
The hamlet's current schools include Langdon School for kindergarten to Grade 9 and Sarah Thompson School for kindergarten to Grade 5. According to Craig, the former is owned by RVS and does not have a P3 agreement, while the latter does.
She added the P3 for Sarah Thompson School, which opened in 2012, meant community groups in Langdon were initially unable to rent space at the facility. That was an issue given the lack of other rentable space for community groups. When advocating for the new high school, Craig said LCA wanted to make sure they did not run into the same problem.
“In the past, it’s always been, 'No, you can’t use it because it’s a P3 and there’s no budget to cover the costs of the wear and use a community group may [inflict],'” she said.
The Langdon junior-senior high school is anticipated to open in September 2024, with an initial student capacity of about 900 students.
In a statement, RVS said the district is pleased the Alberta government is advancing its plans to support the construction of the hamlet's new school.
“This school has been needed in the Langdon community for several years to accommodate the growing student population in the area,” the statement said. “We look forward to welcoming students and staff into the new school.”
Once the RFQ is closed Oct. 8, the Ministry of Infrastructure’s press release stated, a shortlist of three or fewer proponents will be invited to bid on the project through a request for proposal.
According to the release, a contract with the successful P3 proponent is expected to be in place by the end of September 2021. The other schools in the P3 bundle include two high schools in Edmonton, one in Leduc and one in Blackfalds.
Scott Strasser, AirdrieToday.com
Follow me on Twitter @scottstrasser19
