Construction underway on new Lakeshore public school

Construction has started on an elementary school in Lakeshore.

Lakeshore is rapidly growing, according to mayor Tracey Bailey, and an announcement of a new school is being celebrated.

“This is the perfect location for this school.” Bailey said while attending news conference on Rourke Like at Girard Drive,"

“Lakeshore continues to expand. It’s the fastest growing municipality so we know how much work it takes to arrive at a day like today, so everybody’s been hard at work for a very long time. We’re all thrilled to be here.”

The yet to be named school is being built by the Greater Essex County District School Board and is projected to draw upwards of 600 students, while helping to alleviate some of the population pressure being felt at neighbouring schools.

“There’s Belle River Public School and Lakeshore Discovery,” noted Vicki Houston, Director of Education.

“Both are over capacity. Getting the funding from the ministry, from the government for this school is going to have a tremendous impact to be able to provide more student spaces.”

In the heart of the community, the $22 million school will be built using insulated concrete forms (ICF) for a faster and energy efficient build.

The project was slated to begin in late January but the frost from the colder than usual winter has caused a delay.

“By the time we get it going, a month and a half,” Brad Gyori, Manager of Facility Services, estimated when asked when work on the building would begin.

“The anticipation here of using ICF speed of construction, we’re trying to get back the lost time.”

As for the school name, a bill is going through the legislative process, meaning a name won’t be picked right away. Board officials say they look forward to knowing what the process will look like with naming addressed later in the building process.

“Hopefully April, Mayish we’ll have an idea,” said Houston.

That is the time frame Houston is hoping Bill 38 is dealt with. The school is slated to open in September of 2027.