Construction begins on Kingston West Catholic Elementary School
Earlier today, Wednesday, Apr. 6, 2022, the Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board (ALCDSB) welcomed municipal and provincial delegate representatives to 386 Holden Street for a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Kingston West Catholic Elementary School.
In December 2021, the ALCDSB received approval to award the tender for the construction of a new school. The $20.9 million project will provide ALCDSB students with outstanding opportunities for learning in both French and English, according to a release from ALCDSB. The construction of the dual-stream school is part of the province’s capital investment program to support students with better learning spaces, the school board stated.
“This new build will provide many new and exciting opportunities for elementary students in the Kingston West region. Enhancing our French Immersion programming within the Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board is a priority in our Multi Year Strategic Plan and aligns with our mission to build faith-filled communities where each member is loved, inspired, and successful” said David DeSantis, Director of Education. “I am excited to be here today to see these plans come to fruition. These new opportunities, in a state-of-the-art facility will allow our students to reach their full potential through faith and service.”
Details of the new school, including the school features and details on the architectural firm that designed this project, are available in our previous coverage.
The new Kindergarten to Grade 8 Catholic elementary school building site is located in the Woodhaven subdivision. Construction at the site has begun, the school board said, with a targeted completion date of September 2023. The ALCDSB will provide updates throughout the project on the Board website and on public-facing social media channels.
We have Provincial planning requirements (please see section 3.0 of the PPS) in order to prevent the placement of vulnerable populations/”sensitive uses” close to known hazards.
Why, then, has the City placed this new school immediately next to eastern Ontario’s only gasoline pipeline?
This looks like it will be a beautiful school building… in an unwise location.
With a flow rate of 8,000 litres per minute and zero separation between the two properties, this high-pressure pipeline could inflict very serious harm in a matter of minutes. Kindergarteners and day-care toddlers cannot evacuate quickly, hence our prudent Provincial safety requirements.
Those requirements are being ignored by both the City and by ALCDSB.