Construction planned for 5 P.E.I. schools to address overcrowding

Constructionat some P.E.I. schools is now underwayto create space and deal withovercrowding

There are five schools with big construction plans in the works includingStratford Elementary, L.M. Montgomery Elementary, West Royalty Elementary, Sherwood Elementary andcole-Sur-Mer the French school in Summerside.

According to a news release from the province, construction at Stratford, West Royalty andL.M Montgomery Elementary will provide 34 more classrooms and space for 640 more students at these schools.

Sherwood Elementary is being replaced at a cost of $19 million, the release said, and a $5.7 million addition will be made atcole-Sur-Merfor more classrooms, space and to allow high school programming.

"I think it was needed, it's very timely, it would have been nice to have it a year ago but this is ... you know we're on the right path,"said HeatherCudmore, principal at L.M. Montgomery Elementary.

"It really is needed and we're glad that it's coming forth."

Room for growth

The expansion at L.M. Montgomery will add 10 classrooms, an activity space, staff lounge, washrooms and more.

"It will give us some room for growth," she said.

The school is over capacity now with around 450 students and they've needed more space for about three years, said Cudmore.

"The school populations in the Charlottetown area are generally growing and growing fairly rapidly and so that's the case at each of the schools that are under construction right now," said Jordan Brown, the province's minister of education.

The construction projects underway will allow for more space and accommodate more children who may enrolin the future, hesaid.

But the construction still has peoplelike Lindy McQuillanwondering if better and quicker planning is still needed from the province.

'Better planning needed'

"Absolutely more needs to be done, all the needs haven't been taken care of," said McQuillan, who is a member of the Stratford Elementary Home and School Association.

"In the Charlottetown family of schools we still have have overcrowding that needs to be dealt with."

Expansion projects at L.M. Montgomery and Stratford are expected to be completed in time for fall.

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