Hanover School Division will look for tender for Green Valley School

Hanover School Division is looking to go to tender for Green Valley School’s expansion and it is looking to finalize Parkhill and open a new high school by 2031.

The provincial government has given the go ahead for the expansion of Green Valley School once again.

The school had been slated for an expansion of its gym and the addition of classrooms last year but that was put on hold when the new NDP government came into power. Now, the government has given the go ahead and has asked the school division to submit new plans.

“We are waiting for updated drawings so we can go to tender. There have been some code changes since the last time we had the drawings so we have to resubmit to the engineers to update the drawings with the new codes that came in 2025,” said board chair Jeff Friesen, noting it will be harder for the province to deny the expansion once the project awards tender. Last year, the budget for the addition was $12 million.

The government did reimburse the school division $650,000 for paperwork and permits related to the defunct build. The province didn’t pay to reinstall three portable classrooms at the south end of the school though at a cost of $900,000, which had to be paid for by the school division.

Friesen said it was a relief that the expansion is going forward.

“I really wish they wouldn’t have cancelled it because of all the redrawing and rework and the amount of money we’ve spent and I know they reimbursed it, but it’s just been a little bit of a waste of time and this project is still going. We’re happy it’s going forward. We wish we had been on schedule and we’re putting shovels in the ground now instead of going to tender and updating our drawings.”

One project that is nearing completion is Parkhill School, which is expected to open in September and will accommodate elementary students in Grades K-4.

“We’re in the high 90s percent chance that we will be starting classes there (in the fall). There will be some brick work and work done in certain areas while we’re in the school, but the school has room for us to shift from one wing to another wing to get some of the final touches done. We’re really happy,” said Friesen.

The estimated cost of the school is $39.7 million. The two-storey 62,304-sq.-ft. structure will house 500 students with the possibility of an additional 100. There will be 19 classrooms, two gymnasiums, a library, a music room, a multi-purpose room, an art room, a life-skills suite, a hygiene room, and associated support spaces. The facility will also have day care space for 74 children.

As part of its five-year capital plan, the division will open another high school in Steinbach in 2031, which will educate more than 600 students. Where it will be located or whether it will be a vocational school remains to be seen.