RENOVATIONS TO SCHOOL AND NEW CHILD CARE SPACES CELEBRATED IN THE NORTH

Education Minister Donna Harpauer joined students, staff, board members and community members to celebrate the construction phase of the Churchill Community High School renovation and to announce the locations of additional child care spaces in the North today.

The Churchill Community High School renovation/addition projects estimated completion is the spring of 2014. The cost of the project is an estimated $35 million. The ministry share of this is approximately $22.8 million and the school division share is approximately $12.2 million. The lowest bidder, Wright Construction of Saskatoon was awarded the construction contract and has begun work on the project.

"The school will have modern, well equipped learning spaces and enough room for 700 students," Harpauer said. "It will also include space for child care, a dental lab and alternate education programming. The government is proud of Saskatchewan's northern communities and is excited about investing in new and upgraded educational facilities here."

Board Chair Larry Ahenakew says students and staff are very excited about the plans for their school.

"I am very pleased to see this project enter the construction phase," Ahenakew said. "Due to some of the innovative approaches to design and construction, our children and community will benefit. I want to thank the ministry for its commitment and guidance in seeing this project come to fruition. I would also like to thank the ministry for implementing three new day care programs within our school division in Beauval, Pinehouse and Buffalo Narrows."

Renovation projects that will create a total of 31 new child care spaces in the Northern Lights School Division were also announced. The capital investment in these facilities totals $1.092 million.

Funding of $592,000 will go toward relocating the current facility to school property in Buffalo Narrows to house 32 child care spaces, creating one additional space in the community. Renovations will also create space for an additional 24 child care spaces in Beauval and six infant spaces in Pinehouse.

Government has promised an investment of up to $500,000 in these two projects.

Over the past three years, the Government of Saskatchewan has made a record investment in licensed child care, allocating funding for 2,935 new child care spaces to communities across the province. This represents a 30 per cent increase in child care spaces since 2007.

Government has also committed more than $402.6 million since November 2007 to move forward 29 major school capital projects and about 570 additional smaller school capital projects across the province. This represents a record high investment in school infrastructure over a three year period.

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For more information, contact:

Charlotte McGraw
Education
Regina
Phone: 306-787-1305
Email: charlotte.mcgraw@gov.sk.ca
Cell: 306-527-7273