12°c Light drizzle
17°c Mainly cloudy
Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
Pembina Trails faces huge bill for school sites
PEMBINA Trails School Division fears it may have to find more than $10 million to buy future school sites in the massive Waverley West development.
The province will pay the division back -- but not until the Public Schools Finance Board decides the province needs to build each of the schools years, maybe decades, in the future.
"It was a shocker," said Pembina Trails superintendent Lawrence Lussier.
The division found out recently that the city had changed its policy for setting aside land for school sites in new developments, from $25,000 an acre to market value.
Land in Waverley West is running from $200,000 up to $300,000 an acre, he said. The province owns much of the land in Waverley West.
Lussier said the division has learned that the city changed the policy in 2002, but somehow Pembina Trails was able to option two school sites in Waverley West in 2006 for $25,000 an acre.
But when the division started looking at additional sites, Lussier said, a developer told the division school divisions can no longer get an option for possible school sites -- it's buy now, and buy at market value.
Pembina Trails needs up to eight schools for Waverley West, including one high school. Elementary schools are eight to 10 acres, he said. "For a high school, we're looking at 25 acres," Lussier said.
Each elementary school could cost as much as $3 million for land, a high school $7.5 million.
None of the options open to Pembina Trails fits into the province's edict to freeze school property taxes and limit spending increases to the money coming from provincial operating grants each year.
Pembina Trails could raise taxes and dip into depleted reserve funds to buy the land, or it could borrow the money -- which comes with hefty annual interest payments added to the operating budget.
"We're very reticent in terms of going forward," said Lussier, but if Pembina Trails doesn't buy the land before developers plan the subdivisions, there could be no school sites available when the classrooms are needed.
"This could get quite expensive -- we were a little taken aback when we heard about that," said deputy education minister Gerald Farthing.
Farthing said Pembina Trails has options on two school sites until 2012 and 2016 at $25,000 an acre.
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition December 13, 2010 A4
More Local
- Back to Top
- Return to Local
More Local
(1 of 29 articles for today)
Several held in gun sighting
8:41 AMWinnipeg police have taken several people into custody after reports of a gun being seen in the North End this ...
Poll
Most Popular Local
- Doctor charged with sexually assaulting teen at HSC
- Woman drove into river on purpose
- City's first urban reserve born
- Police searching for suspect who woke sleeping teen
- Evidence ignored in dangerous driving acquital, appeal court told
- Teachers vote to donate $1.5M to human rights museum
- Crash victims were good friends, free spirits
- City set to seize derelict hotel
- MTS becomes takeover target
- Piney border crossing picked for remote processing pilot project
- Man dies after being pulled from vehicle submerged in Winnipeg retention pond
- Flood money paid for CEO's romantic trip
- Man charged, victims identified in double homicide
- Crash claims two young women, RCMP say
- Developers to unveil plans for bold downtown tower
- Police identify slaying victims
- Apple trick on Ellen falls short for city woman
- City's first urban reserve born
- Woman drove into river on purpose
- The end of the credit card?
- Hundreds pitch in to dig out houses damaged, destroyed by Ochre Beach ice floe
- A child-custody catastrophe
- Charleswood deaths being investigated as domestic incident
- Man charged, victims identified in double homicide
- Co-worker 'sick' today? Maybe it's the $17M flu
- Man dies after being pulled from vehicle submerged in Winnipeg retention pond
- '2 minutes after I read the winning numbers, I retired': Winnipeg lotto winner
- Flood money paid for CEO's romantic trip
- Parents, community relieved and elated as missing boy found safe
- No threat from bag found at Winnipeg Square
- Better PTSD treatment for RCMP urged
- Armed forces buys buses from Motor Coach
- SCU pulls Bill 18 petition
- City chiropractor guilty of beating, sexually assaulting ex-girlfriend
- Accused fraudster fights extradition to U.S.
- Man charged, victims identified in double homicide
- Katz plays on with golf-course plan
- Athletes could sit under new school rules
- City's first urban reserve born
- RCMP ceremony honours bravery, outstanding service
- Developers to unveil plans for bold downtown tower
- Fishing for fashion
- Famous city grocer loved job, customers
- City's first urban reserve born
- Core grocer a challenge: expert
- Flood money paid for CEO's romantic trip
- Grocer Joe Cantor dies at 88
- City chiropractor guilty of beating, sexually assaulting ex-girlfriend
- First Nation celebrates groundbreaking on city's first urban reserve
- North End proud
- Hundreds pitch in to dig out houses damaged, destroyed by Ochre Beach ice floe
- Mental-health patients get own ER
- A child-custody catastrophe
- An uncommon phenomenon
- Steen invests $1M in family entertainment centre
- Developers to unveil plans for bold downtown tower
- Earls on Main going, but new one coming
- Province introduces changes to rules governing landlords, renters
- Crushing blow for amateur sport
- Boost same-sex curricula: union
Ads by Google
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.
Have Your Say
New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.
The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.