Above: Grand Erie students, staff and local delegates were on hand to break ground at the site of a new elementary school, community centre and public library on June 24.
Breaking Ground in West Brant to Meet Needs of Growing Community
TUESDAY, JULY 2, 2024
S
ome of the youngest residents of West Brant sunk shovels into the ground on June 24 to officially kick off construction on a joint-use project between Grand Erie District School Board, the City of Brantford and the Brantford Public Library at a site which will include an elementary school, recreation centre, public library and other amenities to serve the growing community.
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| Above: JoAnna Roberto, Director of Education, Grand Erie District School Board. |
"Breaking ground on a new school and community hub marks an exciting start to what will be a multi-faceted space to learn, grow and be inspired," said Susan Gibson, Chair. "Thanks to funding from the Ministry of Education and this partnership with the City of Brantford and the Brantford Public Library, we're laying the foundation for a community asset that will serve generations to come."
The groundbreaking event, held at the corner of Shellard Lane and Strickland Ave, included an Indigenous drumming performance, opening and closing address, remarks from staff members representing each partnering organization, and local delegates. The space will also include a 24-acre park, sports fields, meeting spaces and walking paths.
"This project has been a partnership in the truest sense of the word, and thanks to a lot of cooperation and collaboration, we're achieving something greater than the sum of its parts," said JoAnna Roberto, Director of Education. "Our thanks to the community partners and the Ministry of Education for sharing in this collective vision of what's possible."
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| Above: Mayor Kevin Davis, City of Brantford. |
The project represents a total investment of $67,079,386, with more than $33 million provided through Capital Priorities, Child Care Capital and Land Priorities funding through the Ministry of Education. The new school will accommodate 650 students in 23 classrooms and four Kindergarten rooms, and includes a four-room, 64-space child-care centre within the 108,000-square-foot building. The school is expected to open its doors in September 2026, and will alleviate population pressures on neighbouring Edith Monture, Agnes G. Hodge and Walter Gretzky elementary schools. The new library branch will serve the school as well as the community at large, and includes 13,500 square feet with programming space, study rooms and an outdoor reading terrace. Construction begins this month.