Replacement School Project

October 22, 2024 -

The Government of Alberta has officially awarded the necessary construction funding, a significant milestone that brings the vision of a new state-of-the-art school closer to reality. The good news was delivered via a confirmation joint letter from the Ministers of Education and Infrastructure for the replacement high school that will open with a capacity for 1,910 students.

The collaboration between PSD and the City of Spruce Grove has been instrumental in reaching this point, with both parties working together to address challenges and advocate for the needs of the community. Their combined efforts have paid off with this announcement of funding, allowing construction to begin on the much-needed new facility.

“Navigating the complexities of an ownership agreement that is unique to an education authority has been a challenging process, but it has brought us one step closer to realizing a vision that the Board has had for several years.” stated Board Chair, Lorraine Stewart.

“The excitement of knowing we are in a position to fulfill a long-standing commitment to our students and community is tangible. We cannot wait to deliver a state-of-the-art school that will benefit students for years to come. Additionally, we are grateful for the positive, collaborative partnership that will continue with the City of Spruce Grove. Their cooperation has been instrumental in reaching this milestone, and we look forward to continuing our work together for the benefit of our community."

Superintendent Shauna Boyce echoed the excitement, stating, “The announcement of construction funding is a game-changer for Spruce Grove Composite High School. It will allow us to deliver on our promise to provide an exceptional educational experience with upgraded classrooms, technology, and spaces that meet the needs of current and future generations of students. We’re thrilled to see this project take a major step forward.”

The new SGCHS will offer modern classrooms, updated technology, and innovative spaces for both curricular and extracurricular activities, a dedicated Indigenous learning space, creating a dynamic and inclusive environment for students. The community has responded positively to the announcement, with parents, students, and staff eagerly anticipating the improved facilities and the opportunities they will bring.

In a decisive move, the Parkland School Division’s (PSD) Board of Trustees unanimously passed a recommendation during their June 18th Regular Board Meeting, addressing the complications surrounding the construction of the new $100 million dollar Spruce Grove Composite High School (SGCHS).

The resolution emphasizes the need to separate the Horizon Stage facility from the consent required to begin the school's construction. The Horizon Stage is a jointly owned asset of PSD and the City on land that is 75% owned by PSD and 25% by the City. The school is over capacity and enrolment is expected to grow. The new school is required to meet the needs of a growing community. The school has been the top capital priority for PSD since 2015.

Minister of Education's Position

In a recent letter from the Minister of Education, it was clarified that the $100 million new school construction project requires resolving complications related to land ownership and Horizon Stage ownership. "I understand the site plan currently being developed by the project architect would have the replacement school built on 'Site B Lands' as defined in the 1989 agreement, but that no construction may take place on this portion of the site without the City of Spruce Grove’s written consent,” the Minister Demetrios Nicolaides stated in the letter. “I also understand that the theatre itself is partially owned by the City of Spruce Grove and its demolition (as currently contemplated in the project scope) may also require the City of Spruce Grove’s consent."

Board's Commitment to Horizon Stage Advocacy

The Board of Trustees outlined their steadfast support for the Horizon Stage replacement through the following actions:

• Advocacy for Funding: PSD sent a letter to the Minister of Education requesting $5 million for the replacement of Horizon Stage.
• Design Considerations: The new school's design includes provisions for potentially adding Horizon Stage on site.
• Negotiations on Land Ownership: The Board has directed their Superintendent to enter negotiations to address the land ownership barrier, including financial remediation.

Engagement with the City of Spruce Grove

The Board has actively engaged with the City of Spruce Grove to expedite the matter. They have received a letter from the City, which provides conditional consent for the construction of the new SGCHS, provided that funding for the Horizon Stage replacement is secured. "The City of Spruce Grove is pleased to consent to the construction of the new Spruce Grove Composite High School on the Site B Lands and to the alteration of the Site B Improvements pursuant to Section 5.4 of the MOA on the condition that the Province agrees to provide funding to replace the Horizon Stage,” Dean Screpnek, City Manager of Spruce Grove, stated. “The funding to replace the Horizon Stage is currently projected at approximately $5 million, but this amount is subject to change."

Resolution Passed by the Board

The Board has already been instructed that the $5 million required for the Horizon Stage build is not forthcoming from the government. This leaves PSD and the City of Spruce Grove at a crossroads, and the resolution passed by the Board mandates that the administration and the Board Chair actively and transparently communicate with all stakeholders about the circumstances and seek their support in advocating to the City of Spruce Grove to sever Horizon Stage from the consent required for SGCHS construction. Read the full resolution:

Whereas Parkland School Division has supported the Horizon Stage advocacy in the following ways:

• • We sent a letter to the Minister of Ed for $5 million for the replacement of Horizon Stage
  • We designed the new school with the possible addition of Horizon Stage on site
  • We have instructed our Superintendent to enter into negotiations to remove the land ownership barrier, this included financial remediation 

And Whereas

• • We have received letter from the Minister of Education advising that further consideration of the $100 million dollar new school construction requires resolution of the complications related to the land ownership and Horizon Stage ownership
  • We have met with the City of Spruce Grove council to discuss the urgency of this matter 
  • We received a letter from the City providing “consent to the construction of the new Spruce Grove Composite High School on the condition that the Province agrees to provide funding to replace the Horizon Stage, currently projected at $5 million.

Be it resolved that the board instruct administration and Board Chair to actively and transparently advise all stakeholders by written communication of the circumstances and request support for our further advocacy to the City of Spruce Grove to sever Horizon Stage from consent to construct SGCHS.
Further be resolved that Trustees take appropriate action to bring public awareness to this issue.

Enrolment projections indicate steady and significant population growth in the City of Spruce Grove. The Division, therefore, maintains that It is essential to address space constraints to accommodate current and future student needs and projected enrolment growth. 

The Spruce Grove Composite High School replacement project has been a priority since it appeared on the division capital plan requests. 

If you have questions, please contact board@psd.ca 

Enrolment projections indicate steady population growth in the City of Spruce Grove. The Division has always insisted that It is essential to address space constraints to accommodate current and future student needs and projected enrolment growth.

Based on the historical grade progression and continued growth the current Spruce Grove Composite High School building will be at 103% of capacity by September 2024.

In fact, for the 2022-2023 school year, there are 1,539 students attending grade 7,8 & 9 within Spruce Grove alone. If all things remained the same, in three years, these students would be in Spruce Grove Composite High School, resulting in a capacity of 120% by September 2025 and that’s not factoring future students that would be moving into the area. 

March 2020 - Spruce Grove Composite High School begins to appear annually on Parkland School Division's Three-Year Capital Plan submissions to Alberta Government.

January 2021 - PSD, Alberta Education and Group 2 Architecture completed a value scoping session to assess the feasibility of modernizing Spruce Grove Composite High School. The sessions included teachers and administration from the school along with division office representatives.

The main finding in the report was that an addition (to accommodate future growth) and modernization of the existing building will cost between $61,773,994 and $62,249,008. The estimated cost to build a new high school with a capacity of 1,900 students is expected to be $100+ million dollars.

Since the cost estimate to expand and modernize the existing building is significantly more than 75% of the cost of building a new school; the recommendation was updated in 2022 to a replacement school for Spruce Grove Composite High School instead of a modernization.

April 2022 - The City of Spruce Grove issued a letter to the Minister of Education the honourable Adrianna LaGrange and all impacted stakeholders in support of Parkland School Division’s request and urgent need for a replacement school. 

Summer 2022 - PSD commissioned Smart Architecture to produce a Test Fit Report. The report looked at use of the existing site to accommodate a new 2000 capacity High School, Alberta Education guidelines for space requirements and the City of Spruce Grove development bylaws. The report confirmed that the existing site can be used for a replacement school.

March 2023 - Parkland School Division was awarded design funding for a future replacement school of Spruce Grove Composite High School with a capacity of 1,910.

March 2024 - PSD's Board of Trustees voiced its disappointment following the Budget 2024 announcement by the Alberta Government, which omitted the much-needed construction funding for the replacement of SGCHS.

May 2024 - Trustees continue to work on their advocacy plan for the replacement of SGCHS. Alberta Education responded to the Trustees’ letter regarding the Horizon Stage community theatre and overall SGCHS replacement project. Alberta Education has requested additional information, including an explanation of how the joint-ownership of the theatre space and the provisions of the 1989 agreement (governance of land and structures on the school site) will be managed between the Division and the City of Spruce Grove. The Board directed PSD Administration to enter into negotiations with the City of Spruce Grove to resolve the barriers to construction of Spruce Grove Composite High School. 

October 2024 - Construction funding announced.

Design Funding Approved for Spruce Grove Composite High School

PSD Expresses Disappointment Over Exclusion of Construction Funding in Budget 2024

Construction Delays Addressed (Update June 2024)