St. Clair Catholic’s new south Chatham elementary school has an address, after the Ministry of Education announced funding for the new purchase.
School board officials say it is an eight acre parcel of land on Tweedsmuir Avenue West at the south end of the Keil Drive extension.
“This is tremendous news for the Georges P. Vanier, St. Ursula and the former St. Joseph Catholic school communities,” stated Deb Crawford, director of education, in a media release.
“The search for land in south Chatham has had its challenges. It has been a lengthy process, but we have found the perfect property.”
Funding in the amount of $1,963,890 has been approved by the Ministry of Education, school board officials say.
The funds cover the price of the land and additional costs to have it fully serviced.
“I want to say a special word of thanks to the Ontario Ministry of Education for this funding, which will allow us to move forward with construction of our new south Chatham Catholic elementary school,” stated John Van Heck, chair of the board, in a media release.
“We are excited to begin the next phase of this project.”
Amy Janssens, associate director of corporate services and treasurer. also thanked the Municipality of Chatham-Kent.
“I also want to extend our thanks to Chatham-Kent CAO Don Shropshire and his staff for their great assistance over the past three years, to help us find suitable property in south Chatham,” Janssens said in a press release.
“We are grateful for their support.”
Education Minister Stephen Lecce said from modernizing curriculum to revitalizing classrooms and their facilities, the Ontario government is investing in students and giving them every tool to achieve their full potential.
“Our financing of the land costs for the new South Chatham school further demonstrates our government’s historic investment in Ontario’s schools and our overall commitment to supporting our students and families,” Minister Lecce added in a press release.
Dates regarding design and construction schedules will be communicated as soon as possible, school board officials say.
