City pushes forward on possible location for new Harbour Landing school
The City of Regina has opted to stay focused on a possible site for a second school in Harbour Landing instead of furthering residential development in the area.
Capacity issues at Harbour Landing’s two existing schools, housed within the same building, and preventing a similar situation from unfolding in the future were major factors in the Regina Planning Commission’s decision.
“We can’t even accommodate the french immersion right now, and our projections are that it’s just going to keep getting more demand on the public system for sure in that area,” said Delaine Clyne with Regina Public Schools at Wednesday’s meeting.
In September 2020, the province announced a new joint-use school would be built in Harbour Landing to help address the capacity issues at Ecole Harbour Landing School and St. Kateri Tekakwitha School, which both share a single building.
“Projections indicate the continued growth for the St. Kateri for over a decade and we’ve now reached our capacity for portables on the structure,” said Regina Catholic School Division chair Vicki Bonnell.
The application also would have required exceptions be made to the official community plan (OCP), a core document the city uses to oversee growth and development.
The school was included in the developer’s plan, but the exceptions to the OCP on other aspects were also part of why administration recommended against the application.
“We do recommend that we make the changes to the OCP with regards to allowing for a school site in this area, and then that would be subject to land negotiations with the landowner within this area, which is the applicant,” said Diana Hawryluk, the executive director of city planning and community development with the city.
Area residents were also generally unsupportive of the plan, according to feedback gathered by administration.
“I would’ve expected that those within Harbour Landing, if this exception had merit, that there would be greater support amongst those living quite close to this proposed development,” said Shanon Zachidniak, a city councillor and member of the planning commission.
The area in question is along Campbell Street, west of the existing neighbourhood.
The timeline for the new school will depend on further discussions between the Ministry of Education, the city and the landowner.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What's a Barnacle? It's yellow, sticks and screams if you try to pry it off your car
Barnacles, bright yellow devices used to make sure parking scofflaws pay their tickets, could soon be making their way to cities across Canada.
Verdun Airbnb listing taken down amid complaints, fines and frustration from neighbours
An Airbnb in Montreal's Verdun borough was the source of much frustration from neighbours who say there were constant parties at the location. It has been taken down from the app, but housing advocates remain upset about short-term rentals.
Man who set himself on fire outside Trump trial dies of injuries, police say
A man who doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire outside the courthouse where former U.S. President Donald Trump is on trial has died, police said.
They were from different countries and barely spoke each other's languages. More than 20 years later, they're still happily in love
He decided to spend Christmas somewhere that wouldn't involve snowstorm disasters. She was spending the holidays with family, travelling for the first time outside of her native country of Venezuela. 23 years later, they're still in love.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
A Nigerian chess champion plays the royal game for 60 hours - a new global chess record
A Nigerian chess champion and child education advocate played chess nonstop for 60 hours in New York City's Times Square to break the Guinness World Record for the longest chess marathon.
Fire in Labrador town under control, officials tells residents to stay away
RCMP say the fire that prompted a state of emergency in a Labrador town is now under control.
12 students and teacher killed in Columbine school shooting remembered at 25th anniversary vigil
Thirteen victims of the Columbine High School shooting were remembered during a vigil Friday on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the shooting that was the worst the nation had seen at the time.
Israeli airstrike in southern Gaza city of Rafah kills at least 9 Palestinians, including 6 children
An Israeli airstrike on a house in Gaza's southernmost city killed at least nine people, six of them children, hospital authorities said Saturday, as Israel pursued its nearly seven-month offensive in the besieged Palestinian territory.