A local developer is moving forward on a proposal to provide lands to St. Albert Public Schools for a new high school site north of St. Albert.
City of St. Albert Mayor Cathy Heron agreed to sign a joint letter of support with Sturgeon County to the Ministry of Education on the proposal during the Sept. 21 council meeting.
The letter would support Landrex Development’s intention to provide lands within Sturgeon County, which are intended to eventually become part of Erin Ridge North, to the St. Albert school district for a new school site instead of expanding Bellerose High School.
The suggested site owned by Landrex is part of the current land annexation negotiations between the city and Sturgeon County, which would bring those lands within municipal boundaries. If passed, that agreement would take effect in 2022.
“The City and County are both supportive of exploring new methods to make school sites available,” the letter reads. “We look forward to learning more from Landrex about the details of their proposal.”
The potential school site is located within the developer’s plans for a future mixed-use commercial development on the corner of Highway 2 and Township Road 544, less than two kilometres away from the local Costco.
A 77,541-sq.-ft. high school is planned for a northern corner of the parcel, according to a draft area structure plan provided by Landrex. The site also includes plans for three fields and a large parking lot.
Considering the land isn’t yet within city boundaries, Kevin Scoble, chief administative officer, acknowledged there are still several questions that need to be worked out by the developer with this proposal.
But this was a time-sensitive matter, he said, as the school board needed to submit its application for provincial funding for the new school site by Oct. 1. The letter itself doesn't tie the city to any commitments but acknowledges the city's support in learning more.
Council unanimously passed a motion to add the mayor's signature to the letter of support.
New high school needed
St. Albert Public's three-year capital plan identifies the immediate need for a new school, with five schools in need of full or partial modernization and additional space.
Last fall, the board said the expansions and rebuilds of the two existing schools will not be able to accommodate the entire future high school population in the city. In 2019, the division had 612 Kindergarten students register – the highest in history. Almost every grade cohort grew in size.
Discussions between Landrex and the school district on the proposal really began ramping up a year ago, said Michael Brenneis, district secretary treasurer.
Through those conversations, the school district decided to focus on the need for a new high school over the expansion of Bellerose High School. Bellerose is still viable in its current state, Brenneis explained. But other than Lois E. Hole Elementary, there is no other school in the northwest quadrant of the city.
The letter of support is just one step in the process, he said, noting there are still several areas Landrex will need to work through.
"Generally speaking, we're always excited to look at any type of partnerships, be it with other school jurisdictions, or with the city of St. Albert. In terms of our jurisdiction, we know we have a need for high school space. That is our reality."
Larry Andrews, CEO of Landrex, said he was first approached by his son Ryan about the need for more school space in St. Albert. The school site proposal was embraced by the school board, city and county pending further details, he said.
"We were able to meet with the school (district), show them a blank canvas, and have them plot their school and what they wanted on the site," Andrews said. "It's a great opportunity."
He said Landrex is aware of the school site allocation agreement and is still working out legal, jurisdictional and technical details of the proposal.
What about the agreement?
A big question mark remains around whether the land will be dedicated to the city as municipal reserve – an important question considering the city’s current process for school site allocation.
The city’s school site allocation agreement outlines how the city will create school sites on municipal reserve land and work with St. Albert Public, St. Albert Catholic and the Greater North Central Francophone school boards to decide where future schools will go.
David Leflar, city legal and legislative services director, said the school site allocation agreement was “irrelevant here” as the lands are not currently municipal reserve or located within city boundaries.
But if the lands are classified as municipal reserve, St. Albert Catholic board and the Francophone board raised concerns the proposal “would result in a loss of a school site for consideration of their future needs,” according to the agenda report.
“Then we have to have some further discussions from there,” Scoble said.
Clint Moroziuk, superintendent of Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools, said the district knew about the proposal back in August.
“It’s certainly a unique approach, and one we haven’t seen before,” Moroziuk said.
It’s up to the developer to decide if they want to gift those lands to St. Albert Public, he said. But if the lands fall under municipal reserve, the existing agreement should likely be followed.
“There is an agreement in place to follow regarding making the land available to all school jurisdictions and then designating the land through that process,” he said.
“We feel it’s important that the process be adhered to as much as feasible to ensure that spirit of collaboration and dialogue between the school jurisdiction partners and the municipality is open and ongoing.”
