There will be a new Alexandra School in Owen Sound.
The Bluewater District School Board has received site plan approval from City Council for the new school.
It means the eventual end of the line for the current 98 year old school building, as it will be torn down when the new school is built next door to it.
The site of the current school will become a soccer field for the new school.
The new building will also incorporate a number of elements from the original building in an effort to commemorate Alexandra’s history.
A permanent display will be built in the school.
It’s being referred to as a memorial room and will feature a photo essay and things like an old slate blackboard and the Roll of Honour that lists students who served during the Second World War.
An outdoor classroom will feature a limestone masonry band that was built into the original school.
Some other original materials will be incorporated into a small monument on the current site.
It was decided that renovating the existing school was not a viable option.
It is not designated as a historically or culturally significant building and no members of the public have raised concerns about the eventual demolition.
Bluewater Manager of Plant Services Al Gibb says construction can start right away on the new building.
He says the board is excited about this project because it’s the last step in an accommodation review two years ago that resulted in several recommendations for schools on the east side of Owen Sound.
The review saw the closure of Strathcona and two other projects that are already underway — an expansion to Sydenham School and the reconstruction of Bayview School’s parking lot.
The new Alexandra School is expected to be completed in time for the start of the 2011-12 school year.
