District School Board of Niagara has received provincial approval to put construction of West Niagara Secondary School out to tender.
“From modernizing our curriculum to revitalizing our classrooms and their facilities, we are investing in our students and giving them every tool to achieve their full potential,” Education Minister Stephen Lecce said in a news release.
“Our support for the new West Niagara Secondary School further demonstrates our government’s historic investment in Ontario’s schools and our overall commitment to supporting our students and families.”
A $42.5-million investment into the new superschool will support the consolidation of Beamsville District Secondary School, Grimsby Secondary School and South Lincoln High School. The school will create 1,533 student spaces.
“This investment will provide a quality learning environment and new opportunities for the children of the west Niagara community,” said Niagara West MPP Sam Oosterhoff, parliamentary assistant to the minister.
Funding for the school is part of the province’s 2019 budget — over the next 10 years, the government will be investing more than $12 billion in capital grants, including allocating $550 million in 2020-21 for new schools, additions and major renovations.
DSBN welcomed the announcement.
“These students will soon have a brand new, state-of-the-art facility that is designed to provide them with the best education possible,” said board chair Sue Barnett.
“The bottom line is that this school is so important for the west Niagara community, and the futures of our students will be brighter because of it.”
The approved project includes a greenhouse, with both an interior and exterior classroom. This space will offer specialty programming space for students enrolled in the agricultural specialist high skills major program.
The school will be located at 5699 King St. and 4640 Durham Rd., Beamsville.
- Sean Vanderklis, Niagara Falls Review, Local Journalism Initiative
