A new Red Deer Catholic middle school is on track to open in 2023.
As part of the process, Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools held its first community engagement session about the construction of the Kentwood’s St. Lorenzo Ruiz Middle School for neighbouring residents.
“Our middle schools are currently operating at over 120 per cent capacity and we expect continued growth. The new St. Lorenzo Ruiz Middle School will help to alleviate the overcrowding and create educational and amenity opportunities for the children and families that live in the surrounding neighbourhoods,” said board chair, Kim Pasula at Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools.
According to a news release, the engagement session was an opportunity to provide a forum for community feedback and a chance to voice concerns with the overall design, with the first session focusing primarily on the site layout.
Attendees who attended virtually were given a project overview to-date, information regarding the allocation of the school site, facts about the new middle school, and a design review.
The school board will hold another engagement session in May.
Work has started on the design of the school, with preliminary geotechnical testing completed in early 2021 to understand site conditions.
Construction is expected to start in the fall, with the school opening September 2023.