The new Maryland Park School in Brandon will open to more than 400 kindergarten to Grade 8 students next month.
Construction of the school was delayed in March when original lead contractor, Fresh Projects, went bankrupt. In May, Penn-Co Construction Canada took over the work.
In making the announcement, Education Minister Kelvin Goertzen said “I am excited Maryland Park School is ready to start welcoming children in January, a new facility where they can continue to learn and develop. This new school will help accommodate the growth the city of Brandon has seen over the last 20 years and alleviate pressures on other kindergarten to Grade 8 schools across the city.”
The government says teachers and staff are now able to enter the site to set up classrooms and prepare to welcome students. The new 65,700-square-foot facility – located at 700 Maryland Avenue – has a capacity for 450 students from kindergarten to Grade 8, and is designed to accommodate an additional 200 students if needed.
The new school features a multi-purpose space, band room, library, gymnasium, classrooms, home economics and industrial arts labs, a grooming room and life-skills suite. It also includes resource teaching and support spaces, and a science, technology, electronics and mathematics (STEM) lab.
Central Services Minister Reg Helwer said “Our government worked closely with the Brandon School Division and the City of Brandon to turn this project into a reality. This new facility is also be energy efficient, and was designed and built to LEED Silver specifications.”
A new early learning and child-care centre operated by the YMCA of Brandon will also be housed within the school. The centre will offer child-care services for infant, preschool and school-age children.
