The location of a new elementary school in Bradford West Gwillimbury has been officially approved, although the Ministry of Education has not yet given the public school board any money for it.
At a meeting last week, the Simcoe County District School Board approved the expropriation of a 2.2-hectare property at 742 Simcoe Rd., which is just north of Canal Road, near the Portuguese Cultural Centre of Bradford.
While the ministry previously earmarked $12.1 million for the project earlier this year, the board does not know when it could receive that money, said Brian Jeffs, superintendent of business and facility services with the school board.
“We haven’t received a call from the ministry on the next round of priorities,” he said. “We expect this school is going to be approved in the next round, and we can get rolling. That’s the expectation of me, and that’s the expectation of the board as well.”
The board wants to be ready to start the project once it is approved, so that is why it is purchasing the land now, Jeffs said, adding “we felt it was important” to get some land for the project because developers are active within Bradford.
The school is expected to hold 501 students, have two child-care rooms run by a third-party operator, and open as early as 2021, he said.
What happens if the ministry decides not to approve funding for the school?
“Don’t even say it,” said Jeffs. “Have I thought about it? Absolutely. We’ll cross that bridge when they tell us, ‘No.’ It’s a new government and times are tough. It might be a new world order.”
If the new school in Bradford does not receive funding, he said, that will likely mean schools in other communities are also not being funded.
Jeffs said he was unsure whether the board would sell the property if the ministry does not approve funding because BWG’s population is growing and new schools will be needed eventually.
This past spring, 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.
“We’re not in the business of acquiring properties and just sitting on them,” Jeffs said.
