While some other communities in Simcoe County have had to close schools, Bradford West Gwillimbury is getting a new one.
The Ministry of Education has approved $12.1 million to build a new elementary school in the north end of the town.
The school is expected to hold 501 students, have two child-care rooms run by a third-party operator, and open in 2021, said Brian Jeffs, superintendent of business and facility services with the Simcoe County District School Board.
“We’re in the midst of trying to acquire a piece of property,” he said.
No architectural plans have been made yet, as the school will be built to the specifications of the chosen site, he added.
Daryl Halliday, superintendent of education for Area 4, which includes Bradford, said the board already has plans for another new elementary school and a new high school beyond this “much-needed project.”
Halliday said the town does not have the same problems as other communities in Ontario that have had to close schools because of its growth.
“It is an indication that communities within the confines of Simcoe County, and in particular those in the southern portion of the region, are is in the midst of a growth phase where school enrolment is on the rise,” he said.
“Looking at a larger provincial level, schools can close due to reduced enrolment or to declines in facility condition, but neither of these are concerns in Bradford.”
