The St. Clair Catholic District School Board's newest elementary school officially has an address.
School board officials announced earlier this week that $1.9 million in funding has been approved for the purchase of eight acres of land on Tweedsmuir Avenue West in Chatham, at the south end of the Keil Drive extension.
The funds, approved by the Ministry of Education, cover the price of the land and additional costs to have it fully serviced.
According to board Associate Director for Corporate Services and Treasurer Amy Janssens, it generally takes about two to three years to complete a project of this magnitude, including the process of going through multiple ministry approvals.
"We're really looking forward to getting this school going and built," she exclaimed. "It will be tremendous for that school community."
Much like St. Angela Merici Catholic School, a recently constructed school on Chatham's north end, Janssens said the name of the south Chatham school will be selected by a committee made up of students, staff and community members.
"It's actually quite a bit of fun for them to be able to do this and pick a name that means something to their community," she explained. "So that will be happening again for the south Chatham school as well"
Janssens added that the naming of a new school is a rigorous process that is ultimately approved by the Board of Trustees.
Once built, the school will serve the Georges P. Vanier, St. Ursula and the former St. Joseph Catholic school communities. Janssens said the new school will give students the opportunity to enjoy the latest technologies and features that aren't seen in current facilities.
"They can really look forward to a great new school in a couple of years. We're looking forward to getting their feedback and hearing from the staff and the students, taking into account their concerns and their wishes. We're really looking forward to the process."
Any further information about the design and construction of the building will be provided as it becomes available.
-With files from Paul Pedro